Dark Flame
by Copper Moon
Summary: Axel ALWAYS gets the icky jobs, so it's no surprise when he's sent by the organization to capture a girl with a unique gift. A gift that could help him find what he's been looking for. Update: Look forward to the upcoming sequel including Axel, Rikku, Roxas, Xion, Saix, Demyx, Xigbar, and all those other characters you love. Axel/OC
1. Connections

CM: As always, we seem to write stories for these fandoms too late. But hopefully Kingdom Hearts is still alive enough to get a good turnout. So we decided to go a change of pace and only write for one OC. Hopefully it turned out well. So without further ado we welcome you to...

**DARK FLAME**

* * *

**Chapter 1: Connections**

CRASH

The young woman landed heavily on the ground, brushing her black hair out of her eyes. The light caught the streaks of purple as she swiftly returned to her feet. Her deep set gunmetal gray eyes narrowed slightly at the large beast before her. It was a creature summoned to the large arena by her current mentor who stood watching the fight.

As she got to her feet, the creature pulled itself up shaking its head which had been embedded into the hole now in the training room wall. She took a deep breath, holding out her hands and thinking carefully of the spell she was supposed to be using keeping her eyes on the beast that once again began to charge at her. Taking a deep breath, she kept her calm as it continued to get closer while she didn't move. Then all at once, the creature's arm shot forward before freezing in place inches from the young woman's shoulder.

When she realized it had stopped, she took a few steps back and out of its way letting out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Staring at her frozen opponent as it vanished. She looked up towards her mentor who nodded his head, pointed wizard hat and all, in approval.

"Congratulations, Thorn," a man murmured in a deep rumbling voice as he stepped into the training room. She turned around to face him only able to see the man's eyes beneath the red wrap that covered his head. "You've managed to impress me further."

"Back already?" Thorn asked keeping her face completely neutral despite the slight irritation that burned inside her. "I thought you had important business to attend to."

"It is good to see you again, DiZ," Thorn's mentor stated while inclining his head in respect. "I trust your travels have been well."

"Indeed, they have," he replied returning the gesture. "However, Thorn's services are needed elsewhere. I shall be taking her away with me for a while."

Thorn's purple lipstick coated lips pressed together in distaste. She didn't enjoy the way DiZ treated her, as though she were inferior. She'd grown up with that crap enough as it were. Still, she respected him, in a sense. He was intelligent and powerful. And she owed him she supposed.

"Will I be able to return to further my studies?" she spoke up.

"But of course," he answered his gaze never meeting hers. "So long as Yensid wishes to continue having you as his pupil."

She glared at him before looking to her mentor for his answer. Their eyes met for a moment before nodded. "I await your return," he murmured. For a moment she thought a smile had appeared at the corner of his mouth but dismissed the idea immediately. She had been staying with the wizard a few months now and was quite sure that he didn't smile.

"Alright, let me grab my things," she said with a small sigh, heading for the exit of the training room. DiZ didn't stop her, but it was clear that he was a little agitated by how slowly she was walking. "Hmph, either it's that important, or he doesn't like to wait," she thought before glancing back at him. She smiled to herself as she slowly continued forward. He didn't like to wait. Well she wouldn't take too long, but she might as well enjoy her last walk through the castle before she left.

Thorn steadily walked up the long spiral staircase. The place had no elevator and the walk was a grueling one if you weren't used to stairs. Her first few days of training had been to run up and down the stairs in order to build her bodily endurance and stamina. She'd hated it, but Yensid assured her a strong body was necessary for spell mastery. As a result her body was more toned than when she'd lived in her home world.

Now she could climb the stairs at a steady pace without losing wind. When she got to the top level she headed to her bedroom where the three fairies Flora, Fauna, and Maryweather were straightening her room.

"I've said before this is completely unnecessary," Thorn stated. "You don't need to clean my room for me."

"I know dear," Flora said waving the comment away with a wave of her wand. "We just love helping out though."

"Indeed, and you were so busy we thought it'd be nice to come back to a clean and friendly environment," Fauna added.

"It's to help make you feel better," Maryweather explained.

"I also told you to leave the colors alone," Thorn muttered walking into the room and over to the now pink dresser. She pulled out her only other set of clothing from her own world as well as a small music box before putting them both into a small duffle bag. "But I guess it doesn't matter anymore."

"Deary, where are you going?" Flora asked noticing the bag.

"The guy who dropped me off is back," Thorn answered with a shrug. "It's time for me to go with him."

The three fairies released varying sighs of disappointment at the news. For the life of her, Thorn couldn't understand why the three seemed to like her so much. Maybe they just enjoyed having the extra company. Or maybe they loved the challenge of trying to dress her in pink or blue. Who knew?

"I know," Fauna stated. "We should give her a going away present."

"You really don't have to," Thorn stated quickly, already knowing what direction this idea was heading.

"Yes, that's a brilliant idea, Fauna," Flora agreed pulling the other two together in a huddle. Thorn decided it was a good idea to try and make a hasty exit before they finished and was almost out the door when they broke apart. "We have just the thing for you."

"Really, I don't want anything," Thorn insisted as she pulled the door open. She was stopped. however, as Maryweather blocked her path.

"Just you wait, you'll love it," she insisted ushering her back toward the others.

The goth girl just sighed and rolled her eyes waiting for what she was sure would be a gift she'd later throw out.

"Alright girls, here we go," Flora dictated as the three began waving their wands around. Moments later, a small stone appeared and floated down into Thorn's waiting curious hands. "It's a small stone that you can switch out of your pendant."

Thorn stared at the jewel, its surface glinted as she turned it over, inspecting it. She had to admit she was impressed. "What does it do?" she asked.

"It will protect you from physical harm," Flora informed her. "Though not entirely."

"But any direct damage will be cut by half at least," Marywether stated proudly.

"We hope this will protect you during your travels," Fauna finished. Then added, "Do you like it?"

Thorn smiled a little, removing the jewel from the slot in her pendant and replacing it with the new one. This seemed to please them greatly. "Thank you. I do like it."

The three quickly flew forward and gave her a hug. "It will be a lot quieter without you around," Maryweather commented.

"We'll all miss you greatly," Fauna agreed.

"Make sure you stay safe," Flora finished. "We'll be waiting for you to come visit again."

Thorn nodded slightly before heading out the door down to where she had left Diz. She would miss them as well, she supposed.

Before Thorn left DiZ, Yensid had something to give her as well. "In the arts of magic, one must never lax in their studies," he said before handing her a thick book which weighed heavily in her arms entitled _The Way of the Mage_. "I trust you will not become idle during your absence here."

Thorn shook her head, holding the book to her closely. "Never. Thank you, Master Yensid."

He nodded once more and Thorn slowly followed Diz through the dark portal he had created. It wasn't the most enjoyable way to travel, but it certainly got the job done. Once they made it to the other side, Thorn saw that they were in an old, musty mansion that appeared as though it hadn't been inhabited for years.

"What is this place?" she asked following DiZ who kept walking even after they were out of the portal.

"This mansion lies in the deepest recesses of a forest outside of Twilight Town. It is where I do my work and where you shall be staying for a while," he explained as he led her upstairs and down a hall, stopping at a door at the end. "This room will be where you sleep. Feel free to do with it as you like."

Thorn stepped through the door and took in the sight of her new room. It was bright. The walls were barren and white and light shown through the tears in the curtain on the window. In the center of the room was a large four poster bed that looked as if it once had curtains covering each side. Other than the bed, a single old wooden dresser sat against a wall as the only other piece of furniture.

"Thanks," she muttered dropping her things onto the bed. "It won't be staying this bright for long. Do you have any paints?"

"You can redecorate later, once you've finished with today's work," Diz declared from the doorway. "I've also provided you with a gift." He pointed to the end of the bed where a box sat.

Thorn curiously and with reservation went over to where the box sat. Removing the lid she found inside some form of dark clothing. Taking it out she let the garment unfold in her hands to find it was a long black cloak with a hood, silver zipper, and tassels.

"Am I supposed to where this?" she asked.

"Indeed," he replied with an incline of his head. "It will provide you with the necessary protection."

"Protect from what?" Thorn inquired.

"This cloak has special properties," he explained patiently. "It will guard your heart from darkness as well as other threats. Now come with me. There is much to do and little time to do it in."

Shrugging, Thorn pulled the cloak on over her others clothes. It was loosely fitted and surprisingly comfortable. In one of the pockets she found a pair of black gloves and decided to put those on too in case they were mandatory as well.

"Alright, lead the way then," she said heading to the door.

She followed him out of the room, down the stair and out the big double front door. Here she saw a large metal gate that separated the yard of the mansion from what looked like a forest. The pair walked through the forest and through a hole in a wall that lead to a small town. There were many buildings here and there, some larger than others, but Thorn was sure it was far smaller than where she grew up.

"So, this is Twilight Town?" she asked remembering what he had said before.

"Yes, and it is infested with a creature you're quite familiar with," Diz answered pointing toward some shadows created by a low bridge.

Beneath it, she could just barely make out a tiny little shadow moving back and forth with a single heart bobbing around inside it. "That thing...it was what started the destruction of my own world," Thorn muttered with disdain. "So they are here as well?"

"Yes, they are called heartless," Diz told her. "And the longer they exist in a world the more hearts they collect and the larger they become. Furthermore, if enough of them gather in a world, it is eventually devoured by them as well...much like your own."

As Thorn listened to him she watched the small black creature with its bright glowing eyes. Its round head bobbed, feelers flicking out as if searching for something. If she didn't know what it was or what it could do she would have thought it to be cute.

"There is a reason why I took you to Yensid," Diz continued. "That reason was to strengthen you for an upcoming battle."

"Battle," she repeated, still taking in the sights. "What sort of battle?"

"One that will decide the fate of the worlds fallen into darkness, as well as those yet to be," he stated importantly.

"So you want me to fight heartless?" she asked noticing that the one before them seemed to be the only one around. "What's that supposed to accomplish?"

"Destroying heartless will reduce their numbers and help prevent this world from being swallowed by them as your world was," Diz explained. "And who knows, you may even find the ones you are looking for."

Thorn's heart leapt at this statement and she stared at the heartless. It must be something akin to a newborn, for it only held a single heart. Thorn saw who and what the person once was, and other hearts connected to it. Shaking her head, clearing her vision, she raised her hand as the creature scurried forward towards her.

She uttered firmly a single syllable. "Fire."

In an instant the magic struck the creature and it exploded releasing the heart trapped inside. "That was easy," Thorn muttered watching the heart rise into the air. "Okay, so now what? Destroying this one heartless isn't the reason you dragged me away from my training is it?"

"Your duties for now will be to survey the worlds I send you to and to keep the heartless population in check," he stated in an absolute manner that was not up for questioning. "You can start with this place. Return to me once your duties have been fulfilled."

"Wait, what?" she asked turning to look at him and try to get more info. As she did, he disappeared leaving her alone in the dark world. "I swear he's more vague and irritating than those three on my birthday," she muttered running a hand through her short purple streaked hair.

Still she knew that he wouldn't allow her to return for her things until she finished her job in the world and so she started on her way moving from building to building destroying heartless as she went while taking note of everything she came in contact with. When she managed to search through the last part of the world she was exhausted and quickly took a small ether she'd picked up to replenish her magic.

Sitting down on a crate, she looked up at the night sky riddled with stars. Millions of different worlds shining brightly. Not hers though. It had been wiped from existence. But she vowed to put it back, no matter what it took.

* * *

For the next week or two, Thorn was sent to a different world everyday running survey's for Diz and taking careful notice of each and every heart that was released by the destroyed heartless. Still there was no sign of any of them. She sighed as she started through the next world which consisted of a small nothing town with a large castle in the distance. As she passed by the people completely unnoticed she over heard them talking about a maid that had become their new princess. Their favorite princess in fact. For the most part she ignored the stories and simply focused on the basic function of the town as well as keeping an eye out for any heartless that appeared.

She passed by a bakery, the scent of fresh bread making her mouth water. She hadn't eaten since breakfast that morning at it was early afternoon now. As she stood contemplating whether or not to go in and buy herself a loaf for a snack, movement from the shadows caught her eye. Cautiously she moved closer, making sure to keep out of sight. The silhouette was black and bigger than the average heartless. In fact it was human size.

She heard mutterings coming from it and after a few moments she realize it WAS human. Except… Thorn's eyes widened when she realized something else. Something staggering for her. No, she had to be mistaken. There was no way this could be human. She moved closer, trying to get a good look at it. It was wearing a cloak almost identical to hers with the hood drawn up. The voice sounded male, and it was talking to itself.

"Let's see… where was I supposed to go? Geez, why did they have to send me to such a big place? I'm gonna be at this all day."

Thorn followed the hooded figure down a short alley that came out in a dead end. "Ah, man! This just isn't my day," he muttered turning around. As he did so, he nearly ran into Thorn who was standing directly behind him. "Ah!" he shouted jumping back as his hood fell off his head. Thorn was surprised that the figure looked like a boy a little younger than her with short spiky light brown hair in a mullet and bright blue eyes. "I, I can't see your heart," she murmured out loud looking into the boy's eyes.

"Shoot, I've been spotted," he whined glancing around for an escape route. "What do I do? They're gonna kill me."

Thorn stepped forward, closer to him. Then she reached out and poked him, as if making sure he was real. He felt pretty solid under the cloak. "You're real," she said. "But who… what are you?"

At this point the guy freaked out, pulling his hood back over his head and bolted. "You didn't see me! You didn't see anything!"

"Wait!" Thorn called and gave chase after him. He rounded a corner and by the time she got around it he was gone. Disappeared into thin air.

"What...was he?" she thought unable to come up with a possible answer. "Maybe Diz would know." Making up her mind, she finished her rounds quickly before returning to the mansion and rushing into the man's personal study. "Diz, you will not believe what I saw today. It was a man in a cloak like mine but I couldn't see his heart, at all!"

DiZ's hand came slamming down on his desk and he stood up so quickly from his chair it almost went crashing to the floor. "Did you approach it?" he demanded, walking towards her. When she didn't answer fast enough he repeated. "Did you?"

"Him," she said first off. "He was a him. And yes, I talked to him. Though not for very…"

"Never again." His voice was pure authority as he bore down on her. "You are not to approach these creatures. They are a danger, an existence even more loathsome than the heartless."

Thorn was bewildered at how deep of a resentment he seemed to hold for these beings. But why? Other than the fact she couldn't see his heart, the boy seemed normal enough. He certainly reminded her a little of her friends back in her own world.

"Who are they?" she asked him. She wanted to know, wanted to understand. And he seemed to be quite familiar with these beings.

"It doesn't concern you," he said quickly turning back to his desk. "All you need to know is that it is a creature that only brings trouble and destruction."

"Doesn't concern me?" Thorn demanded feeling the heat rise but keeping her temper in check. "I couldn't see his heart. I've never seen a creature that I couldn't see the heart of. I have the right to know who or what I saw and I'm going to find out whether you tell me or not."

Diz sat at his desk, not looking at her. "You understand nothing of the worlds," he growled dangerously. "Do not speak as if you know what is out there."

Thorn gritted her teeth before storming out of the lab. The man could be absolutely infuriating. Why did he even bother bringing her along if he wasn't even going to tell her anything? She left the mansion and wandered through the forest beyond it. It was shady and quiet, her favorite kind of place. It looked wicked after dark. She released a sigh, sitting down against the tree trunk, thinking about the boy she'd seen earlier than day, remembering the three boys he'd reminded her of.

* * *

_"Thorn! Hey, Thorn, wake up!"_

_"Ngh… wha?" Gray eyes creaked half way open. Three boys were standing over her staring down at her._

_"Haha, you were drooling in your sleep," said one with blonde hair and a black tattoo on his face. His mouth was stretched out into a full grin showing two straight rows of teeth._

_"Don't tease her, Zell," another said. His long auburn hair was tied back in a ponytail and head topped off with a black cowboy hat. "She's cute when she's asleep. I was tempted to snuggle up next to her and have a nap myself."_

_"You're such a playboy, Irvine," the third said crossing his gloved hands crossing over his chest, monkey tail flicking a little behind him._

_"It's okaaaaay, Zidane," the girl said with a yawn, stretching her arms up above her head. "I'm used to it. Is it almost time for school to start?"_

_The three boys glanced at one another. Irvine tipped his hat a little. "Thorn, I hate to break it to you, but school's already over."_

_Thorn's eyes widened and she shot up into a sitting position. "What! Please tell me you're kidding!"_

_Zell shook his head. "Nope, looks like you slept right through it."_

_"Ugh, I can't believe it," Thorn groaned flopping back down onto the grass. She slipped a hand under her black spaghetti strap and scratched her tummy. "Madam Lulu is going to kill me."_

_"So what happened?" Zidane asked plopping down on the grass beside her. Zell sat on her other side while Irvine remained sanding._

_"Was it your spooky shadow monsters again?" Zell asked with a snicker._

_"Oh, just shut up," Thorn snapped irritably, rolling onto her side._

_Truth be told, the blonde hit it right on the head. Lately Thorn had been seeing strange things after dark. Weird shadow things that wandered, skittered, and skulked about. Whatever they were, they gave her the creeps. However, she seemed to be the only one spotting them and no one else believed her about it. Last night she'd spent from dusk until dawn trying to trap one and show everyone she wasn't crazy. But the darn things were quick and elusive, and she wasn't what you'd call athletic._

_"Aw, don't be mad, I was just messing," Zell said nudging her back with his sneakered foot._

_"I'm not mad..." Thorn muttered. Frustrated was the more accurate term. She couldn't stay mad at any of them, even if they did tease her for being goth or for her vicious temper, or… for being just a bit of a pervert. The only people who ever believed her, who didn't out her for being different, were these three._

_A bright string flicked in front of her and she reached out, touching her black nail polished fingernail to it and began twirling the string lazily around the pale digit. It was warm, almost too warm, and flexible. It was her connection to Zell, and only she could see it. It wasn't the only one either. She could see string connecting her to Irvine and Zidane too. And she could even see strings coming off of them which connected them to other people, some she knew, most she didn't. These strings were always visible to her, as well as the hearts they were connected to. They were the bonds that connected peoples' hearts to one another. That was the only explanation she could come up with._

_It was both a gift and a curse, and several cruel years growing up had taught her to, for all intents and purposes, pretend it didn't exist. If she concentrated really hard, she could ignore their presence, and they would almost become invisible._

_"I got the notes from today's lectures," Irvine said in an attempt to cheer her up._

_"No thanks," Thorn said automatically. "I know what you charge for favors. And quit looking down my shirt."_

_Irvine pinched the brim of his hat and lowered it over his eyes. "My apologies. I'm only a man after all."_

_"Ha! She's more of a man than you are… no offense, Thorn," Zidane added quickly, scratching his mop of dirty dishwater blonde hair._

_"You know… you guys would be a hell of a lot more popular if you didn't hang around with me," Thorn commented, looking up at them in turn._

_"Ah, so what?" Zell asked waving his hand in a nonchalant manner. "You're our pal, and friends gotta stick by each other through thick and thin."_

_Thorn smiled. Yep… she was just one of the guys._

* * *

CM: So there you have it, the first installment. And there's much more to come. If you have any questions, comments, concerns please let us know. Your feedback is appreciated. Oh, and if you want to have a better visual of what Thorn looks like, there's a pic posted on my deviantart account.


	2. Intriguing

CM: Okay, now that we got the intro chapter more or less done with, now the real fun can begin. Btw, we don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of its characters. We only bear the rights to Thorn.

* * *

**Chapter 2: Intriguing**

The next few days were pretty uneventful. Thorn was stuck at the mansion as Diz didn't trust her not to go looking for the strange person again so she spent her time practicing her magic in the training room. The only change to her routine was once she felt comfortable enough with a spell she'd been reading about, she'd attempt it on her own. Doing this also kept her from thinking about Diz and the special images of him that she enjoyed tearing to pieces. After spending several days in this manner, Diz finally came to see her and gave her the directions for the next world. She took them and started to enter the portal ignoring the warning he was giving her about the person she'd met before. The moment she was out of his sight and on her way, she started to plan how she'd locate another one of those people and get the info she wanted from them.

At first she started out rather gung ho about it, thrilled with the idea of meeting the boy again. However she soon realized her chances of running into him again were very slim. What if he could travel worlds to? What if he was only visiting that world the one time? Both Diz and Yensid had explained how there were numerous worlds and it was impossible to fully explore one in a day.

Within only a few hours she became discouraged and took a seat on one of the branches of a nearby tree. She knew she wouldn't be randomly spotted. Up there and was able to think in the peaceful silence. She sat up there for a long time and when night came she jumped out of the tree in surprise. She'd fallen asleep and now had the thought of explaining to her caretaker what took her so much longer to finish that world than the others. She started heading back toward town when a shadow caught her attention and she rolled her eyes thinking it was another heartless that escaped her earlier notice.

Upon closer inspection, her heart flipped with excitement. It was a hooded figure, much like the one she'd seen before. Except… this one seemed different. Taller maybe? Oh, what did it matter? This was her lucky day! She carefully eased closer, not wanting to startle the person.

The hooded figure turned her way, as if sensing her presence. She quickly hid from view, holding her breath, keeping very still. When she heard the rustling of a cloak and footsteps moving away she peeked to see the stranger continuing its leisurely stroll. She could hear Diz's warning, but she pushed it out of her thoughts. Settling on her decision, she quietly began tailing the cloaked figure.

The figure led her through the forest disappearing from sight for a moment. She was disappointed when she couldn't see any sign of him and turned to head back only to see him standing directly behind her. "Hi," she said as she took a quick step back.

"Hello. Were you by chance following me, young flower?" he asked lowering his hood to reveal a very handsome face with shoulder length pink hair.

"Uh...yeah," she murmured taking in the sight of him as well as the lack of the usual sight with living beings. "I was hoping you could tell me, what are you? I can't see your heart."

"Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully as he gazed at her.

Thorn had to admit he was attractive, prettier than Irvine. His vibrant blue eyes examined her, as if she were a rare jewel he'd accidentally found lying in the dirt. A breeze blew and she caught a powerful scent of roses and...something bitter.

"That's not surprising," he said at last.

He was being very coy, she thought, and she would've been irritated by it if she were not so accustomed to it from her own boys.

"Why not?" she asked hoping the conversation would continue.

The man took a few minutes to look her over once more before smiling slightly. "Because I don't have one," he murmured before disappearing through a familiar dark portal.

"Wait! I have to know what...you are," she tried to protest, but too late, he was gone. There was no telling when or where another would appear. But he had said something interesting. He doesn't have a heart...it isn't possible for a human being to exist without a heart...right?

* * *

The pink haired man stepped out the other side of the portal into a large room. It was completely white and filled with furniture for down time, the Grey Area. Home sweet home.

Three people were present. Two were sitting on separate couches, one playing a sitar while the other was smoothing out her short blonde hair. The third was standing, waiting for him with a cold countenance.

"You're late, Marluxia."

"My apologies," he stated with a slight bow. "I lost track of the time." If it weren't for the X-shaped scar across his face, he might have been attractive. Marluxia knew however out of all of them who had no heart, this blue haired man seemed to personify that fact. "I hope you do forgive me, Saix."

"That would depend on your reasons," Saix stated indifferently.

"I was being followed by a rather intriguing flower," Marluxia replied with a soft smile. "So I simply paused to see what caught her curiosity."

"And what did this resident want?" Saix asked dangerously.

"Oh, she wasn't a resident," Marluxia corrected. "And she was only curious about one thing. She wanted to know what I was because she said...'I cannot see your heart.' Nothing else about me or my way of leaving seemed to surprise her."

At his words the sound of a wrong string being plucked too hard could be heard through the otherwise quiet room. The boy playing the sitar sat frozen in place while the blonde woman had turned in her seat to be able to hear the conversation better.

"So what?" the blonde piped up from her seat. "You're saying that somehow she knew you were heartless?" She laughed at her own joke.

Marluxia only smiled. "That's precisely what I'm saying."

Under normal circumstances, Marluxia would have been in trouble for having casual contact with a civilian. However upon hearing his report, it was clear Saix was intrigued. His normally emotionless amber eyes were alight in contemplation.

The boy holding his sitar suddenly looked very eager to get out of the room. The more unnoticeable he tried to make himself the more attention he drew.

"Is there a problem, Demyx?" Saix asked noticing the boy's attempt to disappear.

"No," he said quickly, sweating slightly.

Saix crossed the room in seconds and was soon staring the boy in the eye. "When did you meet this woman?"

"What woman?" Demyx asked, playing dumb.

He shrank under the glare Saix gave him and he folded like a cheap cloak. "Ah… it was an accident, I swear," he blurted out. "I was being really careful, but she snuck up on me, and I…"

"When," Saix repeated a little more sternly, not interested in the boy's excuses.

"Uh, my last recon mission, sir," Demyx answered, practically sweating with apprehension.

"Ooh, Demyx was spotted while on recon, that's a no-no," the blonde simpered enjoying watching the boy get in trouble.

"That's enough out of you, Larxene," Saix shot at her without moving his gaze. "What happened?"

"Uh...I turned around, this weird girl was standing there, I freaked about being spotted and left," Demyx summed up as quickly as possible.

"Did she say or do anything?" he pressed.

"Well, she did poke me and said something about not seeing a heart," Demyx admitted slowly. "But that's it I swear!"

Saix was thoughtfully silent for a moment. "Very well," he said before turning away from them. Demyx sighed in relief, but his respite was brief. "I'll let the leader decide your punishments."

"Aww man!" Demyx groaned.

Saix left the room, all the while pondering this new discovery. The leader needed to be informed of this immediately. It was possible this mysterious female could be of some use to the organization, given if what Marluxia and Demyx said was true.

He quickly made his way through the castle stopping in front of the leader's door. After three knocks he was given permission to enter and once inside he began to report the finding from Marluxia and Demyx. When he finished, the silver haired man began to pace back and forth across the floor, holding a hand to his chin as he thought.

"This female seems rather intriguing," he murmured. "If she can really see hearts as it seems she claims, then she may prove useful to us." He turned to face the blue haired man and smiled. "Send Axel to retrieve the necessary information about this woman."

"As you wish, Xemnas," Saix replied with a curt bow. He turned to leave but was stopped by the leader's voice.

"Oh, and send in Demyx and Marluxia. I'll deal with them now." He nodded again and disappeared down the hall. The two member's accidents may prove to reveal a very useful tool after all.

* * *

Thorn groaned in irritation when she heard the hard wrapping on her door, the loud booming voice of DiZ telling her to get up. She pulled herself out of bed, nearly hissing at the daylight which managed to somehow sneak in through a rip in the curtains of her bedroom window. If there was one nice thing about the mansion, it was that it was old, and creepy, and she felt right at home with it. It'd be a million times better if she wasn't sharing the house with an overbearing control freak.

Lugging her protesting body out of bed she went to her closet with a broken door and put on her usual black spaghetti strap, short plaid skort, and her combat boots. She ran a comb through her shoulder length hair and did her make up; a little lilac eye shadow, some eyeliner, a touch of mascara, and a nice thick coat of dark purple lipstick. She admired how wicked she looked in the cracked rusted full length mirror. Then she resigned herself to put the dark cloak over it, covering up everything but her head. Then she put gloves on over her hands with dark nail polish.

Even though the cloaked looked far from normal- heck, she'd even admit it looked pretty bad ass- it didn't make her exceptionally stand out the way she would have liked.

When she was satisfied with her appearance, she walked across the room and opened the door looking the owner of the voice in the eye. "What's the problem?" she asked in slight irritation. "It's not even 8 in the morning. Do you have a vendetta against sleeping in?"

The wrapped face glared back at her. "I'm leaving to do more research and as I don't have any missions to send you on you will be spending it taking care of a few things for me here," he ordered handing her a list. "If any of them aren't done when I return, you will be subject to some VERY harsh training. Am I clear?"

Thorn glanced over the list and inwardly groaned. The jobs he was having her do would take all day making her relaxing day off into one of intense irritation and hatred. "Crystal," she muttered knowing he'd stand there waiting until she answered in some way.

* * *

If there was one thing Axel would complain about being in the organization, it was because he always seemed to get the worst jobs available. Whether mundane or deplorable. He wasn't sure if it was because the higher ups trusted him that much, in which case he should be flattered, or if it was because they believe he enjoyed doing the stuff they told him to do. But if nothing else, the jobs did make his existence more bearable. Took his mind off that fact he was only half a person. Sometimes even less depending on what despicable deed he was asked to commit.

This time they wanted him to search for a girl. Based on the physical description he received from Marluxia and Demyx combined, she should be easy to spot. Trouble was they didn't know what world she resided in, if any. Somehow she was traveling between worlds, meaning he could be at this for days or even weeks.

He released a sigh, scratching at his spiky show of red hair as he dithered in the Grey Area. What he wouldn't give to go back to bed.

"You haven't left yet?"

He turned to see Saix standing there with an expectant stare.

Axel shook his head, while smiling. "Was just about to leave actually. Just making sure I got everything I need."

"Be quick," Saix told him, not unkindly.

"Sure thing," Axel replied with a slight wave of his hand. _"As quick as I can, seeing as how I have no idea where to even start,"_ he thought in irritation. Saix nodded at him and he stepped through the first of what would be many portals that day.

Within the first few hours it became evident that he was right to be annoyed by his new mission as he went as quickly as he could through his third world without any sign of the mystery woman. By the time he stepped into Twilight Town for his daily after mission ice cream break, he had already searched through seven or more different worlds, with hundreds still left to go.

After getting his ice cream he went to his favorite spot in the whole town; the top of the tallest structure, the clock tower. Axel had a lot of appreciation for the place. It had a perfect view of the whole town and the ocean. And when the sun was at just the right angle, the whole landscape looked as though it had been set aflame. It almost was enough to remind him of the life he used to have…

Movement from the street below caught his eye, and he looked down. A cloaked figure was wandering the plaza below. Odd… he didn't remember anyone else in the Organization having any business in this world.

The figure paused as it got closer to the clock tower before looking around as if making sure it wasn't spotted. It seemed satisfied so it reached up and pulled the hood down revealing a head of shoulder length black hair with purple streaks...the woman described by Marluxia and Demyx.

"Seriously?" he thought in exasperation. "I spent the entire day looking for this girl only to find out that if I had just come here to relax from the start I would have found her?" He sighed quickly finishing the ice cream in his hand and disappeared from the tower only to reappear around a corner from her. He decided he'd get what he could by following her before he confronted her.

When she looked his way he quickly disappeared out of sight. _"That was close,"_ Axel thought looking over at her from the opposite end of the street. _"Wow she's observant."_

He'd have to go at this more carefully than he thought.

* * *

CM: Hoho! Four new characters in just one chapter. :D Thanks for reading and stay tuned!


	3. Both Ways

CM: Hey all! Hope you all had a nice Mother's day. Time to start off another week. I forgot to mention earlier, this story takes place before 358/2 days game. So if you don't see Roxas right away, that's why.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Both Ways**

Finally, Thorn thought to herself as she wandered the emptying streets of Twilight Town . She didn't think she would ever be through with that list. Diz had wanted her to do a little tidying up around the place. Both the mansion and the laboratory. He had her organize both his books and his documents. Even though she rifled through both she found nothing of particular interest. He must keep his secret stuff locked away someplace safe. She'd searched around but found nothing much to her dismay.

One thing was for sure, she needed to do some grocery shopping. Having been stuck there all day, her only source of food was the stash of sea salt ice cream he kept in the fridge. She hadn't minded the stuff at first, but after a while, she was sick of it. Right now though, she just wanted to unwind, maybe practice some of her magic.

As she headed for the station to catch the train to the more rural part of town, she caught sight of something black out of the corner of her eye and turned in its direction. She stared at the place she had seen it for a moment before heading in that direction hoping it wasn't a heartless. She hadn't seen any in that town yet and was hoping it wasn't starting yet. When she reached the spot the blackness was gone, much to her disappointment but she shrugged and continued toward the station again.

Thorn bought herself a train ticket and rode her way to the other side of town. Once there she began roaming around looking through the shops. The entire time she had the constant feeling she was being watched. At one point she glanced up and thought she saw a shadow on the rooftop.

After spotted a flash of black for the third time she realized someone or something was tailing her. And she instantly decided was gonna find out who or what.

Making up her mind, she headed to a place in town where a small waterfall naturally occurred and stood in front of it staring into the wetness. After awhile, she caught a glimpse of the black figure again, this time though, she didn't turn around and instead inspected the reflected image. She watched it watch her for awhile before realizing that the outfit was the same she'd seen on the other two heartless people she'd run into. Once again, she could see no signs of the person's heart and got excited. She'd catch him unawares, no matter which one he happened to be.

Getting a plan in mind, she began heading toward the opposite exit and turned the corner stopping just on the other side to make sure she could catch him coming after her. Then she waited with baited breath sure that he would not lose her after all that time.

She waited… And waited. Peaking back around the corner, she saw nothing. Heard nothing. Cursing, she turned around and…

WHAM!

Ran smack into something solid. She fell backwards onto the pavement, her nose throbbing.

"Looking for something?" a voice drawled from above her.

Thorn opened her eyes, seeing black shoes and the hem of a black cloak. Her gaze trailed up all the way to a hooded face. "Yeah," she said lowering her hand from her nose. "You."

"Heh, well I'm right here," the figure stated with a wave of his hand. His voice was different from the other two before him. It was more confident, almost cocky, and Thorn couldn't decide if he sounded bored or amused. "Mind explaining what you wanted from me?"

"Sure," Thorn replied getting to her feet, only coming up to his shoulder, and looking at where his eyes should be. "As soon as you tell me why you were following me for the past hour." There was a soft chuckle from the figure but no immediate response. "You know, it's polite to look the person you're talking to in the eye. Mind taking that hood off so we can chat more comfortably?"

The tall figure dithered for a moment. "Well, I suppose you're already in pretty deep," He stated resignedly. "But let's go somewhere more private."

The cloaked man turned and began walking away. Not wanting him to disappear again, Thorn followed closely behind him. The possibility he was leading her into some sort of trap did not elude her. However, he had answers to her questions, and she was confident she could handle herself if need be.

They made their way through Sunset Terrace and up to Sunset Hill in silence. The sun was almost completely gone from sight, twilight steadily turning to dusk. The stranger came to a halt and Thorn did as well, waiting on tenterhooks to see the face of this mystery man.

He slowly turned around and reached up towards his hood letting it fall back to reveal shoulder length red spikey hair, bright green eyes and a tattoo under each eye. Her eyes quickly scanned his face and her eyes widened.

"Wow!" she thought in surprise. "He's hot! His head looks like it's on fire and all, but I mean it makes him look cooler than anyone back home."

His facial structure was both masculine and smooth looking. His smile was enigmatic, and only raised more questions than gave answers about what kind of person resided behind.

The first one had been cute, the second, pretty. This guy was just… really hot. Screw anyone who judged her. She may be a Magi in training but she was still a teenaged female.

"Curiosity satisfied?" he asked her.

Not by a long shot. "Do you have a name to go with that face?"

"Hmph, the name's Axel. A-X-E-L." He pointed to his head. "Got it memorized?"

Thorn raised an eyebrow. "Sure… My name's Thorn. Can you spell that?"

"Cheeky aren't you?" he muttered gaining a grin. "So, what has you so interested in me that you had to come searching for me?"

"Not until you tell me why you were following me," Thorn conditioned.

His eyes narrowed the slightest bit, but he chose to humor her. "You've come across two others like myself, am I right?"

Thorn paused before nodding her head in answer. "Were those friends of yours?"

"Well, I don't know if you could call them friends," Axel said, his eyes sliding away from her. "But we are united in a sense."

"Okay, but that doesn't answer my question."

Axel looked at her again. "You seemed to have caught the interest of some very powerful people."

Thorn's heart skipped a beat. "Why's that?"

He waved a hand at her. "You tell me."

"Would it have anything to do with scaring the first one into fleeing within the first few seconds of saying hi?" she asked her lips turned up in the slightest of smiles.

"You know, this whole information exchange does go both ways," he pointed out with a frown.

Thorn thought for a moment before shrugging. "Alright, then is it because I told your friends that I couldn't see their hearts?"

"That's part of it," Axel said placing his hands on his hips and shaking his head. She was being so doggedly elusive. Then again, this wouldn't be fun if it were too easy. He needed to glean how much she knew, about them, or anything else. "It's an odd thing to say to a total stranger."

"What can I say? It was an anomaly to me. I had to find out why that was," she answered with a shrug.

"So, are you saying you can actually tell if a person has a heart or not?"

"Maybe...and maybe I was simply referring the inability to read them," she replied with a smile.

As much fun as this dancing around the subject was, Axel didn't want to get the heat from taking too long. So he decided to give her a little bait to chew on. "Want me to let you in on a little secret?" Even though she tried to appear disinterested, he could tell she was dying to know. He smiled placing a hand over the left side of his chest. "None of us have any hearts to speak of."

"So, he was being literal then?" she asked in excitement. "No hearts? Then how is it possible for you to be alive?"

"We don't quite understand that either," he told her, his smirk returning. "So then, why say you can't SEE our hearts?"

"Well, I suppose it's rather obvious what it means, even to you," she answered crossing her arms. "Because you're the only ones with, or I guess without hearts, I can't see."

Interesting, thought Axel, a person who can see the human heart. Just confirming it probably should have been enough to satisfy the higher ups. But no, they'd want to know the full extent of it.

"I don't suppose I could convince you to demonstrate for me?" he asked getting straight to the heart of the matter.

Thorn rolled her eyes. "And why should I do that for you?"

Brave this one… more like ignorant. If she knew who or what she was dealing with, and clearly she didn't, she wouldn't nearly be so relaxed. However, threats were not the way to go at the moment. "If not, my business is done here," he said, turning to leave.

"Wait..." she said quickly holding her hand out to stop him if necessary. She didn't want to come off as being too eager or too accommodating but she didn't want him to leave yet either. There was no telling when or if she'd ever come in contact with one again. "Show me what you can do first." She still wasn't going to give up her secrets that easily.

Axel shrugged not seeing the harm in giving a demonstration as he turned to face her and nodded his head in agreement.

He raised his hands, throwing his up back and Thorn could feel a ripple in the air of amazing power. His arms shot out to either side of him and fire blossomed from his hands, coiling into the shape of twin chakrams. The goth had to admit that was a pretty nifty ability.

Axel smiled, already impressed, and he wasn't even done yet. He twirled the chakrams in his hands and willed his element to life.

Thorn almost jumped as flames suddenly sprung to life all around them, creating a ring of fire. The heat was oppressing, causing her skin to flare from the dangerously close range.

She watched in awe as he controlled his element as if it was a living creature and he was simply pointing it in the right direction. After a few minutes, the flames died away and his weapons vanished leaving the two of them in the quickly cooling air, Thorn trying with all her might not to show how jealous and amazed she was.

"Now, it's your turn," Axel said gesturing for her to go ahead.

Thorn shrugged and closed her eyes for a moment before releasing her own burst of flames followed by minor shows of using water, ice, earth, lightning, and wind. When she was finished she looked up at him with her own smirk. "Well...what do you think?

So the girl could fight, and she wielded magic with the same aptitude and dexterity and Zexion. Perhaps she could be even more useful than they thought. "That's nice and all but, you know that's not what I meant."

Thorn's face fell into a scowl, clearly not appreciating being unappreciated for her magic. "Of course, I'm just a freak for display. I get it," she said bitterly.

Axel raised an eyebrow in confusion, but she started walking away and he knew he'd better follow. "Where are you going?"

"If you want me to prove I can see hearts then we'd better find someone with a heart now shouldn't we," she muttered in irritation.

It didn't take too long for the two of them to find a few people walking down the streets, probably heading home before it became too much darker. She paused just long enough to look the people over before beginning.

"Okay, so that guy over there with the slicked back hair is a good guy but is terrified of women. And that woman over there has a very well paying job as well as a love of men. She gets around a lot and has probably as many boyfriends as there are men in this town. She even had a relationship with the coward, which is probably which is why he's afraid of women in the first place."

One after another, the girl would tell Axel a glimmer about the people passing by. Who they were, what sort of lives they lead, who they were closest to. At first he thought it possible she was making all of it up. If that were the case she was an astounding liar.

"You don't believe me, do you?" she asked him after the seventh person she had analyzed. "You think I'm just pretending." She looked up at him, her gunmetal grey eyes fierce. "Well I'm not."

Axel returned her gaze, his expression sober. "I believe you," he stated calmly.

Evidently she wasn't expecting this because her pale cheeks flushed and she looked away from him. Women, they were just one big dose of complicated.

"It's weird," Thorn stated. Before he could inquire as to what she was talking about, she continued. "I can't see anything from you. It's bizarre but…in a way it's almost a relief, and kind of..."

"Scary?" Axel proposed.

"Thrilling," she substituted.

"I've never been able to talk to people without knowing almost everything about them at a mere glance," she continued looking around her. "I never had to try to figure them out...I just always knew."

"Sounds like one heck of a life," Axel murmured.

"Yeah well, I did manage to learn how to ignore or isolate the different hearts so I didn't have to walk through a sea of it when I went down the streets," she explained with a shrug. "It's kind of nice to meet someone I can talk to without worrying about whether or not I'm seeing a secret of theirs."

"I'll bet." Axel said with a light smile. He looked as though he were about to say more, but he suddenly looked on edge, glancing around. "Shoot, time for me to go."

"Don't leave," Thorn said, not wanting their time to be over. "I still have questions."

"Next time," he promised and he opened a portal, giving her one last smile before disappearing through it.

"Well that sucks," she muttered irritated that her only source of info just disappeared. "I wonder why the sudden change."

As if on cue, a deep voice met her ears drawing her back to the present. "Thorn, what do you think you're doing?" it demanded and Thorn turned to see Diz walking towards her with anger in his eyes.

"It's called taking a break after the truck load of chores you dumped on me," the goth girl retorted in irritation. "What brings you all the way out here at this time of night?"

For the longest time he just stood glowering down at her, and while Thorn knew she was outmatched she stood her ground.

"Come with me." It was not a request but an order. Before she had the chance to refute it, he grabbed her forcefully by the arm and the two of them teleported back to the mansion.

* * *

CM: Yep, she's in trouble now. Oh, what to do now? You'll just have to find out next chapter. :P See you then!


	4. The Choice

CM: Before we started I'd like to personally thank LiahFaile, Vestara, and Kallie Bryant for your wonderful reviews. We hope you continue to read and enjoy our fic. :D

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Choice**

When Axel returned to the Castle That Never Was, the Grey Area was devoid of any life. Not surprising. At this late hour most of the members would have retired to their private quarters or in bed. As much as he loved to sleep, Axel was wide awake with the new information he'd just acquired. Thinking it'd be faster than actually trying to locate the blue haired member, he summoned a flowing silvery creature to him and had it go find Saix. Once the dusk was gone he took a seat on the couch to sort through the new info.

The mysterious girl really could see hearts, so it seemed, and could determine every bit of the person's life from a single look. Not only that, she had learned and was rather skilled at using magic which could make any forceful measures they may take even more difficult. Finally, she had an attitude which was both amusing and galling. By the time he'd gone over the events in his head, Saix appeared and approached him.

"So, what information were you able to glean from this...woman?" he demanded getting right to the point.

Axel stood from his seat. "Well, it seems she has the ability to see the hearts of others, and practically know their whole lives just by looking at them."

"And you witnessed this first hand?" Saix inquired.

Axel nodded. "You bet. That's why we're such a mystery to her. She couldn't see our hearts. Big surprise there right?"

"Is it simply the humans that she can identify the hearts or is it that she can see the heart no matter what it is in?" a new voice asked as Xemnas stepped into the room. He had heard that Axel had returned and wanted to hear the report first hand.

"Well, she did describe a few cats," Axel answered with a shrug. He knew what the leader wanted but on that note he had no way to prove she could, since the heartless decided to be scarce that day. "But there were no heartless to test that theory with."

"I see," Xemnas murmured rubbing his chin as Saix and Axel waited for him to come to a conclusion. "Axel, I want you to bring her here. We'll have Vexen test out the full extent of her abilities and then we shall determine just how useful her unique skill is."

Judging by his tone, Axel could tell this was a now rather than later job. Geez, he'd barely had time to rest his feet. Now he was off to hunt and kidnap.

"Use force if necessary," Xemnas needlessly told him.

"Got it," Axel said before marching back through the portal. He hoped for her sake she came willingly.

* * *

When Thorn and Diz stepped through the portal into the lab, the goth girl tore her arm out of his grip. "Okay, what is your problem?" she demanded her tone serious but not loud.

"I told you before those things were dangerous and you completely disregarded my warning," Diz retorted angrily. "They are heartless creatures that would sooner kill you than have a rational conversation. Yet here I find you with one, _talking_ to it."

"Okay, first off he is a 'he' not an 'it'," she muttered in irritation. "Second of all, the only way I'm getting any info on them is by talking to them. And yes we had a very long and normal conversation, something you seem to be incapable of."

"You speak nonsense," he told her harshly. "The only reason any of them would approach you is for heinous reasons. The more contact you have with them the more danger you put yourself in."

"From who, exactly?" she asked him sharply. "Them? Or you?" She saw the anger flash in his eyes but she pressed on. "I wouldn't have had to go looking for them if you would have been straight with me. Yet you expect me to sit quietly in the dark and do as I'm told without question."

"You haven't the need to know," Ansem said in a dangerously low voice.

"The hell I don't!" she actually shouted, the lights and the computer monitors flickering in response to her rage. "You know full well that I'm searching for anything I can use to save them, and here's a possible one standing right in front of me! Do you really think I'm not going to do everything I can to find out what it is, how it exists and whether or not they became one?"

"You're a foolish female, driven by your emotions and recklessly running into danger," Diz retorted taking a step closer to her. "You can't understand the sheer improbability that you'll ever be able to find them until your world is reformed."

"I don't care how improbable it is, I will find them and I will save them," she declared determinedly. "And I'll use whatever I can get my hands on to do it."

"Even if you were to find them," Diz proposed, "and they had become the creatures you speak of, the only service you could do them is by wiping them from existence."

Thorn's eyes widened. "How dare you…"

"Do you know what happens when a person loses their heart?" he asked her coldly.

"Their hearts become lost, consumed by the darkness," Thorn answered. "And produces a heartless."

"And what do you suppose happens to the body left behind?"

Her eyes widened slightly at the implication. "They're the bodies left behind?" she asked her mind whirling at the possibility. Diz nodded, his temper seemed to be calming down as she began to grasp the truth behind the creature's existence. "Then that means is if I find their body and their heart, I can make them whole again."

Diz laughed, though it was far from kind. "Your overconfidence is exceeded only by your ignorance. You cannot help these creatures, so put it from your mind at once. Just do as I say and stay away from them. These things, these _Nobodies_," he said the word with palpable distaste. "They are not people, and they haven't the right to exist."

Thorn felt rage flood through her at this declaration. He was just like every other person in her life who had spat on her and her friends for being different. "You haven't the right to decide that," she stated fiercely. "And that man I met was more of a person than you are."

She didn't even see it coming as his hand lashed out catching the side of her face and knocking her to the floor with enough force to daze her momentarily. "Your ignorance in these matters will only bring death to you and anyone you associate with. You're a fool with a gift you don't deserve."

Thorn barely caught his words and forced herself to remain calm in voice at least as she slowly pushed herself back to her feet. The electronics around them were going haywire as she did so and the look she gave him when she did finally stand up was a wish of death.

"For all your research and all your study, you know nothing about the heart or the creatures that carry them," she spat. Then without waiting for a reply, she turned around and rushed through the portal she'd created not even looking back at the place she was running from.

* * *

Axel found himself back in Twilight Town. Even though he wasn't positive if the place was the girl's world of residence, he was going on gut assumption. Now the trick was finding out where she lived. Why the leader couldn't have just waited until the next day was beyond him. He wasn't keen on popping in and out of every house until he found her. Then again, if he caught her sleeping it would make his job so much easier. All he'd have to do is grab and go. And then there was that powerful presence that had been coming their way right before he booked it out of there. Possible guardian, no doubt.

He strolled around Sunset Terrace trying to decide whether or not to just start entering houses when he noticed off in the distance a faint cloud of smoke or steam rising over the buildings. He looked at it for a moment as it was joined by another one followed by a soft bang. Deciding it was worth checking out, he headed in the direction of the rising steam only to find himself at a beach and there on the edge of the sand stood his target launching fireballs out into the water followed by whatever other element she decided to use. It looked to him as if she was blowing off steam and after a minute or two, she slumped down onto the sand running both hands through her hair. He approached her slowly not wanting to alarm her, though she didn't seem to register he was even there.

"Well, you seem a bit fired up," he murmured once he was close enough to her

Her head whipped around, her dark coated lips parting in surprise. "Axel…"

The red head smiled a little. "You remembered."

Thorn nodded before looking away from him. "I'm a fast learner."

Axel stood by trying to decide how to approach this. He could just knock her unconscious. That'd be the quick an easy way to do it, but it would hardly garner her trust. No, the best way would be to entice her. Make her want to go with him. From what little he learned about her, she was obviously interested in knowing more about him… or rather them, and what they were.

"Axel, are there more of you?" she asked him suddenly.

"Yes." He could afford answer her simpler questions. Either way, she was leaving with him, conscious or not.

"I...can I see them?" she asked trying not to sound too eager to leave.

"Only if you come with me," Axel told her outright. No sense in sugar coating it. "But, if you do come, you won't be coming back here...for quite a long time."

Thorn looked back over the sea thinking about his words. She'd miss the sunsets and watching the people interact but was there any reason that would make her want to stay more than finding the truth?

"Well, Thorn," he asked. "What'll it be?"

Thorn had to say, she liked the way he said her name. But that might just be because THAT GUY almost never called her by name. He didn't even acknowledge her as anyone of true value or worth. Oh geez, look at her. She was ready to go with a guy who most likely had been sent to collect her, for reasons she was still uninformed about. But really, could it be any worse than with THAT GUY? All she really knew was she had two choices: go with him, or fight. While she didn't put much stock into Diz's opinion of them, she doubted these people, whoever they were, were the type to take no for an answer. She looked back at him, his bright eyes were watching her closely, waiting for her to decide. As she looked into his eyes, she noticed that he was starting to get a bit antsy though she couldn't explain why.

"Alright, this really is a onetime offer," he stated trying to hurry her up. He sensed that presence again and wanted to be gone before it arrived. "Take it or leave it but I've got to be going now." He held out his hand towards her in a very open and generous offer.

She hesitated for a moment, and in that time someone she did not want to see came around the corner. "If you value your heart you'll step away from him now!" the deep voice of Diz echoed across the quiet sand.

That was the decisive push she needed. The time for thinking was over, and so she acted. Thorn jumped up and ran towards Axel grabbing onto his hand. She heard Diz bellow her name, whether in rage or agony, she couldn't be quite sure. Because right afterwards Axel opened the portal to darkness and pulled her in with him.

* * *

CM: Yeah, way to stick it to the man! Let's just hope it doesn't backfire. So, what's waiting for her on the other side? Find out next chapter!


	5. Arrival

CM: Another week another chapter. We're going to attempt to post rather regularly. Our goal is a chapter or two a week, depending on how busy things get. We'll see how things go come summer.

Special thanks to 8Flurryofdancingflames8 for the kind review.

* * *

**Chapter 5: Arrival**

The pair traveled in silence, both lost in their own thoughts. Thorn contemplated what would be waiting for her on the other end of the portal while Axel busied himself with trying to determine who the man was that had attempted to stop his target from going with him. The flaming red head decided to look into it later but still managed to see the man's timely arrival as the very thing that guaranteed she would agree to go with him. In that sense, it was his good fortune that man showed up, because had he not, things may have gone south.

By this point they were nearing the end and Axel made sure to keep the goth girl close as he exited coming out in a spacious room with windows that covered an entire wall, a couple couches in the center of the room and a ceiling that stretched on seemingly forever.

"Wow, I can't see the top," Thorn thought looking up.

"Looks like no one is here yet," Axel muttered glancing around. "We'll just wait here until the welcoming party arrives." He was glancing over at the door as he spoke hoping he wouldn't have to wait too long.

When she didn't answer he checked behind him and found she had vanished into thin air. He quickly glanced around the room but she was nowhere in sight. She couldn't have left the room, so where….

He looked up and there she was, floating several yards off the floor and still going up. She must have been using some sort of wind spell because her hair and cloak were billowing as she continued to ascend.

"What are you doing?" he called up.

"I'm trying to see the ceiling," she answered simply as she continued to rise.

He was about to say something else when the doors suddenly opened and in walked Saix, his blue hair moving slightly as he walked purposefully towards the red head.

"Where is she," he immediately asked not seeing the guest that was supposed to be present.

Axel sighed and pointed straight up. "She's trying to find the ceiling," he answered with a shrug.

Saix's golden eyes shifted upwards until they found the girl. He immediately looked back at Axel who shrugged again. "I don't suppose you could rein her in?" It was more a demand than a question.

Axel smiled. "Yeah, okay." He looked up. "Hey Thorn! Come down here, I want you to meet someone."

She paused in her ascension to look down and notice the new person before she sighed and returned to the ground. "Does it ever end?" she asked upon her return. "The ceiling I mean. Or does it just continue to stretch on forever?"

"Never found out myself," Axel told her. "At any rate, this here is Saix."

Thorn looked over the blue haired man and had to admit, without the scar on his face he'd look very attractive as well. Was there anyone without a heart who didn't? she wondered to herself.

Out loud she stated, "So, you don't have one either. So weird."

When he just stared silently at her she realized she must have sounded rude. To make up for it she extended her hand. "I'm Thorn. Nice to meet you." And she actually meant it.

He did not take her hand, but instead looked to Axel. "Everyone has already gathered," he told him. "The leader wishes to see her."

"We better get going then," Axel replied. Saix nodded and turned, leaving the room with Axel following him. Clearly she was expected to follow as well, so Thorn kept pace just behind Axel.

"Don't take it personally," he whispered to her. She realized he was talking about Saix. "He's like that with everyone."

She shook her head. "I don't mind. I'm the same way… usually."

Axel looked slightly surprised at this but didn't say anything more. They traveled in silence through the single large hallway which ended at a pair of large white double doors. Once there, Saix immediately disappeared in a swirl of darkness and Axel turned back toward her. "I'm going in, just go through the doors when you're called," he explained before disappearing as well.

As he appeared in his seat, he was greeted by the many hooded figures on the other 11 tall seats in an all white room. In the tallest seat, a hooded figure called the attention of the others toward him.

"Everyone, Axel has brought us a rather interesting acquisition. She seems to have a unique ability that may speed up our plans," he announced making a few of the others mutter unintelligibly. "It's time she was introduced to everyone. Thorn, is that right?" Axel nodded. "It is time for you to enter, Thorn."

The large double doors open and a dark cloaked figure strolled in. The hood was drawn up, concealing the wearer's face.

No doubt several were wondering why she was wearing the same cloak they were. Axel meanwhile was wondering why she had pulled her hood up.

"Thorn," the leader spoke, his voice reverberating through the room. "Will you not show us your face?"

"With all due respect," Thorn spoke cordially from beneath her hood. "I'd feel more comfortable if I could also see the faces of the people addressing me."

One of the figures laughed, his body rocking slightly in his seat. "Ha! She has moxy, this one."

The rest of the group was silent as they looked to the one in the tallest chair. Axel wondering to himself why in the world she'd dare to speak like that in a room filled with people who could easily destroy her. The leader, however, took a different approach as his slightly amused voice reverberated around the room.

"Very well, everyone will lower their hoods," he stated reaching up towards his own. The others followed suit and one by one dropped the fabric blocking their faces from view. As soon as Thorn saw this gesture she too lowered her own before examining each and every face.

_"Hmm...okay, so there are twelve of them,"_ she thought to herself. _"There's the scared little boy, let's see there are two females...wait… no the pink haired one is the guy who seemed a bit too friendly. Axel, Saix...darn it...I got my hopes up for nothing. I was right about one thing though...they are all very good looking in their own right."_

"So, it's a pleasure to meet all of you," she finally stated out loud after her long examination of the group. She kept her face calm and passive as she greeted and inspected them but did feel the excitement rise inside of her.

"Thorn," the leader spoke again, calling for her attention. "Do you know why you are here?"

Thorn chose her words carefully. "It is because I can see hearts. And that intrigues you."

"You claim this," a voice stated. It was a man with long dark hair and cold, unwelcoming eyes. "Yet how are we to believe this is true?"

Thorn shook her head. "Test me if it will satisfy you, but I'm not lying."

The man in the tallest seat nodded, his silver hair shining in the white light. "Very well, Vexen, if you please."

Thorn glanced over to the man in question, his eyes lighting up with excitement as his blond hair hung straight almost over his face. She watched in curiosity as he disappeared and reappeared moments later in front of her carrying a jar with a black substance inside.

"If you can truly see hearts," he stated, "then tell us what is in here." He opened up the jar and a small shadow dashed out looking around for any sort of shadow to escape into.

Thorn raised her hand when it dashed toward her and murmured float before raising it off the ground. "Hmm...this one hasn't been around for very long," she stated in a rather bored voice. "It only has three hearts within. One previously belonging to a young girl, another was once an old man...really grouchy crotchety old man, and the last one was a business man in his late 20's who had a habit of screwing over his competition to further his own business.

"Astounding," Vexen murmured, clearly intrigued by her talent. He began murmuring to himself. "To think she's able to determine all that with just a glance."

Axel looked around, and it seemed as though Thorn was getting positive feedback all around. Even Saix's normally emotionless face was alight with true interest and wonder at the sheer possibilities. He smiled to himself. It was nice to see the guy break out of his stoic candor once in a while. It happened all too seldom.

"I see, that will be all, Vexen," the leader said, sounding satisfied.

Vexen broke out of his thoughts and quickly returned the heartless to its container before returning to his seat.

"Thorn," the leader addressed her once again. "I would like to extend to you and invitation into our organization. We wish to put your talents to good use."

Thorn shifted, not being used to such attention. She didn't know how to react to people who looked at her gift with praise rather than what she was used to: fear and contempt. "Sounds like fun," she murmured looking directly at him. "So, what's the catch?"

There was a string of murmurs that erupted from a few of the member, mostly from the lone female. "Only that you will remain inside this castle until given permission to leave," the leader answered allowing a smile to grace his face.

"I assumed as much," Thorn sighed glancing at all the faces around her. She knew that since she was already there, there were no take backs on her being there. So with a shrug and a light smirk of her own she answered. "Alright then, I guess I can stick around and help out...for awhile at least."

The leader inclined his head at her, as if telling her she'd made the right choice. "This concludes our meeting. You may all return to your quarters. Axel, since you're already well acquainted, you can show her where she will be staying."

With that said all of the members disappeared from their seats. Axel teleported from his seat and reappeared beside Thorn.

"Alright, let's get you settled in so I can finally sleep."

Sleep? Thought Thorn. She wasn't the slightest bit tired. "Couldn't you show me around a bit first?" she asked.

"Later," he told her, leading the way out of the large room. "It'd take a full day or more for a grand tour."

Thorn made a noise of dissatisfaction but followed him anyway.

Axel led her down hallway after hallway and despite her good memory, she was lost almost immediately. It was going to take some getting used to, this big castle, but she knew that like the city she grew up in she'd soon know the place by heart. They didn't talk while they traveled, Thorn keeping her curiosity to herself and Axel wanting to finish as quickly as possible. After what seemed like an hour or more of walking, they stopped in front of a rather normal looking door and he motioned for her to go on in. Taking his offer, she pushed the door open to find a small room with a twin sized bed in the center, a small dresser next to the plain white walls and on the other side of the room a door leading to a tiny bathroom.

"Hm, not bad," she murmured feeling almost at home in the tiny room

It was ridiculously clean and uniform looking, but that wouldn't last long with her. She'd find a way to spice it up.

"Tomorrow," said Axel from the doorway. "Someone will come to get you. So don't leave the room until then, alright?"

"Afraid I might escape and reap mayhem?" Thorn asked wryly, turning to look at him.

He smiled lightly at her comment. "Don't want you getting lost, you know."

_Right_, thought Thorn. _I'm sure that's the only reason._

Well, from the size of this place that wasn't even an improbability. But she didn't doubt she'd be under heavy surveillance for a while. At least until she'd earned their trust… if ever. Still, it was a little late to complain. So far though, she'd enjoyed herself in this last hour more than she had the weeks she was with Diz.

Axel released a short yawn. "Well, my job's done. Later." He exited her room, leaving her alone.

Thorn went over to the bed and sat down. It was surprisingly comfortable. She lay down, resting her head on the pillow. Still, sleep was far out of reach, and she knew she'd spend the next few hours wide awake. So she spent her time going over in her mind what she had dedicated herself to. She thought about Axel, and secretly she hoped he would be the one she saw in the morning.

Only because he was the most familiar to her, of course.

* * *

CM: Alrighty, now that she's getting settled in what sort of things will be in store for our young heroine? Stay tuned to find out.


	6. Headaches

CM: Hey all! Summer is here at last! Thank goodness, finally a break. I still have a busy week ahead but I wanted to at least put up a chapter before all the madness starts. You're welcome. :)

* * *

**Chapter 6: Headaches**

The next morning Axel woke up a little late feeling a little better than he had the night before. After a nice shower, he headed for the mission briefing room where he found Saix waiting impatiently by the wall of windows.

"Something wrong, Saix?" he asked as he drew closer.

"Demyx was supposed to have brought the SOMEBODY here over two hours ago," Saix answered in irritation. "Go see what's keeping him."

Axel really didn't want to deal with the girl that early in the morning, but he reasoned that it'd probably be better than sending Saix to deal with the problem. So he agreed with shrug and headed back out the door to the girl's room.

When he got there, he knocked and waited until she gave him the okay to come in. He almost didn't believe his eyes, thought perhaps he was still tired and not seeing things correctly. But no… somehow she had managed to paint the entire room with dark blues and purples. Not only that the light fixture had been covered with some sort of dark mesh, cutting its brightness in half.

Thorn looked at Axel from her bed, the white sheets having been dyed pitch black. "Morning," she greeted serenely.

He warily stepped into the room, glancing around. "Where's Demyx?" he asked.

Thorn pointed at a corner and Axel saw the guy comatose on the floor with a pillow tucked under his head. "He passed out a few minutes ago after we finished. He was so kind in helping me to redecorate."

Axel shook his head. The girl was a marvel. Only there a few hours and already she managed to convince Demyx into doing hard labor.

"Something wrong?" she asked noticing the look on his face.

"Saix has been waiting for you," he answered continuing to take in the look of the new room and the sight of Demyx passed out on the floor. "Didn't he tell you that?" He pointed to the sleeping member as he asked.

"No," Thorn replied with a shrug, pushing herself up to her feet. "He was probably distracted by my attempts to fix the room before he arrived and forgot to mention it." She headed over to the door where Axel was standing and looked up at him. "Are we going to see Saix now?"

"We'll need to get him up," Axel pointed out nodding his head at Demyx once more.

"Oh, let him sleep. He worked really hard helping me get rid of that awful white."

Axel cocked his head to the side. "Did it really bother you that much?" he inquired taking another glance around. Her room was a shocking contrast to the rest of the castle. A dark hole in the white.

"How could it NOT bother you?" she asked him.

"You get used to it after a while," he said shrugging.

"I'm not much of a conformist. Never was."

"I'll keep that in mind," Axel murmured taking one last look around the dark room before ushering her into the hallway and closing the door behind them. "We'd better get going though, Saix really hates waiting."

Thorn shrugged but went along with him anyway making sure to note each turn they took to make it to the briefing room. When they entered the room, Saix was just finishing talking to the blonde woman. She turned around at the sound of the door opening and gave Thorn a quick disapproving once over before disappearing.

"What happened?" Saix demanded once he noticed the pair. "Where is Demyx?"

"The blonde guy is asleep," Thorn answered before Axel could get his mouth open. "He helped me do some redecorating and passed out when we finished."

Saix closed his eyes as though praying for patience. When he opened them he addressed the girl. "Next time, you will come when called. Our organization hasn't the time to accommodate your frivolities. Is that understood?"

Thorn didn't answer but she stiffly inclined her head. Axel slowly exhaled. At least the girl wasn't stupid. She knew when not to push things.

"It is the will of our leader that you assist Vexen in his research," Saix stated getting down to business. "He is eagerly awaiting you in his lab. Whatever his instructions are, you will follow them."

Thorn looked at him for awhile before shrugging. "Alright, I'll do what he asks," she sighed. "So, where is Mr. blonde?"

"Axel will take you there," Saix answered.

"Gotcha...well might as well get this over with," she said heading for the exit.

The two left the room with Axel leading the way. He occasionally glanced at the girl and he could tell she was committing every turn and every staircase to memory. It was strange, thought Axel. She seemed very relaxed and at home. All the better, he supposed. The less on edge she felt the less trouble she would cause. Hopefully…

It didn't take long for the pair to reach the large lab. It was surrounded by white walls like everywhere else and filled to the brim with shelves, jars filled with unidentifiable blobs, a table in the center and random sharp looking tools all over the place. "Huh, this place just screams mad scientist," she chuckled, the smallest smile on her face.

"You don't know the half of it," Axel commented.

He had no time to say more because at that moment Vexen appeared. "About time you showed," he stated impatiently.

Axel wished her luck before leaving and Vexen wasted no time getting things underway. He began explaining to her the experiments he would be performing and her participation in them. He was very meticulous and professional about it. The first order of business was testing the level of her 'heart seeing' abilities.

* * *

It was quiet in the castle as Yensid poured over a few of his books. He was feeling somewhat bored after his newest apprentice left leaving him with what seemed like very little to do and only the three fairies to keep him company. He wasn't complaining about having them around, but sometimes their bickering was all he heard the entire day and it would quickly become cumbersome. As strong willed and sometimes rather stubborn as his apprentice was, he did hope for her return soon to break up the monotony of things. While his thoughts kept him from doing too much studying, he was rather pleased by the knock that came to his door. It was firm and unyielding and that alone told the wizard who was visiting. He gave his okay to enter and unsurprisingly Diz entered the study, his eyes showing quite clearly the anger he was feeling.

Yensid immediately sensed this isn't the visit he'd been hoping for. "Diz, my friend," he greeted, rising from his chair. "What brings you here? I can see it is not to once more leave young Thorn in my care."

"Quite right," Ansem answered bitterly. "You shant be seeing her for a long time to come, if ever again."

The wizard's face turned grave. "What has happened?"

"That foolish child," Ansem stated closing his eyes. "She's involved herself with the Organization. And now she is with them."

The wizard sighed heavily understanding the heavy implications of the statement. "How did it happen?" he asked calmly. "We were carefully selecting worlds they would not visit for her to inspect."

"I know, but somehow she spotted one and immediately started trying to find everything she could about them," Diz explained darkly. "After that first sighting it was only a matter of time before they sent someone specifically to find her. She met that thing twice before choosing to go with them instead of heeding my warnings."

"You know how intractable she can be," Yensid commented. He was beginning to understand why the woman had left. He was now certain that she might have partially done it out of spite. "Did you explain the dangers that went along with them?"

"Of course I did," Diz stated, steadily pacing the room. "Granted at first I withheld the details, for her own protection. I knew the more knowledge she possessed the more troublesome she would become. How right I was. I at last explained to her what the Nobodies were, and the fact they possess no hearts of their own. When she found out the meaning behind their existence, she began getting ridiculous ideas."

Yensid folded his hands together as he listened to Diz's words. He wished he would have been more open with Thorn on the enemies she would be facing, Heartless and Nobodies alike. Diz however insisted the less she knew the better. Yet look where she was now. There was no telling what the Organization planned to do with her, especially if they knew of her secret.

"Chances are that a rescue is impossible at this moment and she won't try escaping until it's too late," Diz continued pausing in his pacing to look the wizard in the eye. "Unless we manage to finish our own plans first, she'll cease to exist."

"Diz, it is not too late," Yensid murmured slowly. "Thorn is bright and calculating when dealing with others. She may be in a unique situation where she cannot simply read them, but I feel it may end up benefitting her in the long run. She knows how to keep her nose clean and she'll know when it's time to run." He stared long and hard at Diz without showing a single ounce of expression on his face. "We must except that we have to trust her to know what she's doing and will be able to handle herself if and when the time comes."

"I do hope that your faith in her isn't wasted," Diz stated before turning and leaving the room with a flutter of his cape.

Yensid slowly lowered himself back down into the chair before looking out the window of his study. "Keep well, young Thorn."

* * *

It was late at night when Thorn finally left the confines of Vexen's lab. She'd spent the day doing his tests one after another and by now she was exhausted. Her head was pounding from the headache that had arisen from trying to sort through the thousands of hearts she'd seen over the course of the day. It didn't help that she wasn't able to recover from the sessions before and found that her headache was becoming increasingly worse as time went on.

That night marked the end of her first week with the scientist and she was sure that she wouldn't be able to continue on in that fashion. As she stumbled through the hallways wanting to get to her room and collapse into the folds of her darkened room and blackened sheets, she spent the time trying to calm her brain and wasn't really paying attention to the direction she was going in. When she came to a halt in front of the door she assumed was hers, she pushed it open and walked right in collapsing on the bed in front of her without looking at the room.

"Woah! You can't be in here, this is my room!" a voice shouted making the pounding in her head increase slightly.

Reluctantly she opened her eyes and found the room was far too white to be her room. Not unless someone came in and repainted, and she just couldn't see any of them going through the trouble. She groaned, closing her eyes to the whiteness which made her head throb all the more.

"H-hey…" the voice said at significantly lower volume. Thorn recognized the voice as Demyx. "You okay? You're not sick are you?"

"Headache," she mumbled. Opening her eyes to look at him.

Demyx was standing at the foot of his bed, holding onto the neck of his sitar with on hand. He seemed cautious but his face also carried a hint of concern. "Is it that bad?" he asked.

"Really bad," she mumbled squeezing her eyes shut again. "Do you have any aspirin?"

"Naw, I don't get headaches. According to Xigbar, I cause them." He said this last bit jokingly.

"I'm sure you do," Thorn muttered leaning into the pillow to try to block out the light. "Well, can you at least let me lay here for awhile, I'm exhausted and frankly I don't want to get back up. I won't be here too long, but I'm not leaving just yet either."

"Well, I'm in the middle of my sitar practice so as long as that doesn't bug you I guess it's okay," Demyx muttered pulling a finger across the strings. He watched Thorn's body relax as he strummed the sitar again and when no complaint was heard took it as his go ahead and started playing whatever came to mind.

As the notes fell on her ears, Thorn pushed everything else out and focused on his music. As the minutes passed she felt the clutter in her head lessen and her aching in her head began to ebb. Hell, maybe this was better than aspirin.

Demyx occasionally glanced over at her, trying to discern her reaction to his music. He could see her face softening as she continued to relax, and he even thought he might have seen her smile. It gave him a nice feeling, knowing someone enjoyed his music. He played a particularly slow and soothing melody which could've passed for a lullaby. At the end of it, he noticed she'd gone very still and he was worried she'd fallen asleep. He reached out, wondering if he should nudge her or something.

"Again," she said suddenly, without opening her eyes.

Demyx snatched his hand back quickly. "Huh?" he asked.

"That last one," she elaborated. "Play it again."

An encore... no one had EVER asked him for that before. Not in this place.

He shrugged and started to place the slow song once more. This time, he thought he heard something soft and low move along with it. As he continued, the low sound started to grow a bit louder then about halfway through, he glanced over at Thorn just in time to see her with the softest of smiles as she started singing along. It was only just loud enough for him to hear it over the sound of his sitar and he thought it sounded very nice with his music. Pretty soon the song was finished and he looked over at her once more noticing that her eyes were closed once more without a sound coming from her mouth.

Did he really just hear her sing or was that just his imagination. He had wished before that someone in the organization would join him one day in making music and here it was actually happening with a person he barely knew. But thinking back on the sound he'd heard, he was glad it did...and now he had something he knew no one else would be able to glean from her. He couldn't wait to rub it in his superiors' face.

* * *

CM: Nyaw, ya gotta love Demyx. Well, hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Now I'm off to comicon. See ya next chapter!


	7. Odd Jobs

CM: And we're back with another chapter. Comicon was awesome! A thanks to Invader Ivy for the review.

* * *

**Chapter 7: Odd Jobs**

"What do you mean you can't go to the lab today?" Saix demanded.

Thorn stood before him thinking to herself she was never going to take Demyx's advice again. After her headache had gone away, Demyx had asked her what had brough tit on in the first place. When she explained how the labs experiments were causing her to overload he seemed sympathetic.

_"Just ask Saix if you can take a day off," Demyx told her. "I mean… he's scary but I don't think he'd say no if he knew your head was about to explode."_

So here she was, in the briefing room with Saix, doubting her chances for a reprieve. "I need a break," she said up front. She could tell with this sort of person that was the best way to be. "I'm not used to going through hundreds of hearts a day." She didn't want to sound weak or complaining but… she had her limits. Surely they had to understand that much.

Judging by Saix's expression she'd be lucky to get even a drop of sympathy.

"You will become accustomed to the pace shortly I'm sure," Saix replied coldly. "Now Vexen is waiting for your next session to begin."

"Alright look, I'm human. I can only go so far at one time," Thorn began explaining. "Let me enlighten you with something. The last time I became overwhelmed with too many hearts I passed out from the exertion and woke up a week later. So unless you want your precious experiments to be put on hold for a week then give me just ONE DAY OFF."

Saix stared lividly at her and she returned the glare in silence, not giving an inch.

"What's going on?" Axel arrived on scene, and clearly he sensed something was amiss with all the think tension.

"Our guest…" Saix used the word 'guest' very loosely. "…is wishing to ignore the simple duties she has been given."

Thorn's lips pressed together as she bit back a scathing retort. "One day off. That's all I ask. Give me something else to do if you want. Something that doesn't involve staring at heartless."

Axel folded his arms. "You know, that might not be a bad idea," he told the blue haired member. "I mean, it'd be worse of if she pushed it too far and ended up in a coma, right? And it's not like she's going anywhere anytime soon." Clearly he'd been listening long enough.

"She's hardly earned herself a vacation," Saix said, turning his cold gaze on Axel.

Axel shook his head. "I'm not saying that. Let her do the lab work for a few days and then give her a day to catch her breath. She could do odd jobs around the castle in the meantime. I know Zexion said he needed his books reorganized."

Thorn looked up at Axel, who was keeping his gaze locked with Saix, feeling a spark of gratitude towards the red head.

"Even we need a break after working for several days in a row," the red head added as a final statement. Saix continued to look at Axel his face showing nothing though Thorn was sure she could see the cogs turning in his head.

"Very well. I see the logic in this, but this will not be a free day for you," Saix finally agreed. "I will inform Vexen and the leader of this development." He looked at Thorn. "When you finish with each job you will report back to me for the next one."

"Of course," Thorn replied calmly, feeling the relief wash over her. She wasn't sure what she would have done if he didn't allow her that small reprieve.

"You can start with the job Axel mentioned," Saix concluded.

"Great," Axel said cheerily before looking down at Thorn. "You've never been to Zexion's place, right? Come on, I'll take you there before I head out."

Thorn nodded and the two left the Grey Area. While Thorn was better familiar with the castle, there were still many places unfamiliar to her. She hadn't gotten the chance to fully explore it yet.

"I guess I owe you one," Thorn stated, feeling as though some form of thanks was due.

Axel chuckled. "Don't worry about it. It'd be a total waste if you were to crash and burn after such a short time of being here."

"Right," Thorn muttered feeling as if his comment was a shot at her being weak. "So, what's this...Zexion like anyway?"

"He's pretty reserved and usually calm, but he can become very serious and strict when needed," Axel explained. "Plus he knows the location of each member in the organization at all times while they're in the castle. Yes that includes you." Thorn was intrigued by this information and started to feel excitement at the prospect of meeting him. "Well, here we are," Axel said as he stopped in front of the typical room door. "Just let him know what you're here for and he'll put you to work."

Thorn nodded. "Understood."

Axel smiled before turning and offering her a wave goodbye. "Later."

She watched him walked off down the hall until his disappeared around the corner. Releasing a breath she turned back to the door and gave a sharp knock. Thorn waited several moments until the door cracked open just enough for her to see a face half covered with wispy silver strands. A pair of cerulean eyes peered out at her curiously.

"Yes, is there something you needed?" he asked, his voice low and utterly composed.

"I was told to come help you with… whatever you need help with I guess," Thorn ended with a shrug. "Something about books?"

"I see..." Zexion opened the door a little wider so as to speak more appropriately. "I could use the help, but normally I don't allow other people to touch my volumes. They must be handled with the utmost care."

"You don't have to worry about that," Thorn assured him. "I've spent a lot of time around books. I know how to treat them." Books were one of the few things she had the utmost respect for.

Zexion took a moment to inspect her expression after her comment and must have deemed her truthful, or worthy, because he opened the farther so as to allow her entrance. Once she went inside, he closed the door and she managed to get a good look around. The room was considerably larger than her own with the typical white walls, a single bed in the center, a dresser directly next to it, and a large bookshelf that took up one of the walls entirely. The bookshelf was filled to bursting with books of all sizes and ages, some of which were lying precariously on top of others and looked as if they were about to fall out. She could see that some of them were close to falling apart having been read so much while others looked brand new.

"Impressive collection," Thorn commented, having not noticed that the man had moved over to the shelf.

"I've been collecting books for a very long time," Zexion stated taking one of the leather bound volumes, handling it if though it would turn to dust at the smallest err. "I have many more, but the ones I keep in my room are the nearest and dearest to me. As you can clearly see, I've long run out of room."

"That must be frustrating," Thorn commented still scanning the titles. "So you've been going through deciding which ones to move out?"

"That's correct," Zexion stated. "The ones you see not shelved properly are the ones I've chosen to move down with the rest of my collection. Then we'll need to reorganize what's left."

"Okay then," Thorn nodded, understanding what she was expected to do. "Sounds simple enough." She glanced over the stacked and shelved books again and picked a spell to keep on reserve just in case. Her eyes shifted to the silver haired man as he examined the book in his hand. "Should we get started then?" she asked attempting to redirect his attention.

"Yes, just make sure not to drop anything," Zexion replied gently placing the book on the bed. "I will be most displeased if any of them are damaged."

"Noted."

Together the two of them began hauling books down several flights of stairs. All the while Thorn was profusely thanking Yensid in her mind for putting her through physical conditioning. Thorn wouldn't have minded cracking open a few of them. Most of the books were based on various forms of literature and humanities, but some looked like the books she saw in Yensid and Madam Lulu's studies. Books on magic.

The first trip down was mostly silent with little breaks of small talk. Zexion inquired as to how she was enjoying her stay and how the testing with Vexen was going. She briefly answered 'so far so good' for both inquiries.

When they reached the 'store room' Thorn nearly dropped her armload at the sight of Zexion's collection. It looked like a miniature library. Nearly as large in size as the one at her old school. After instructing her where to put them they headed back up for their next load. Thorn realized she needed to get on Zexion's good side if she wanted a chance to look through some of his books. So after grabbing their second load, she got the conversation ball rolling.

"So, I've been told you're able to detect the presence of anyone in the castle," she commented glancing over at him. She left out Axel's name in case that was supposed to be classified info.

"Yes, that is correct," Zexion answered. Like all the other members, he was attractive. Soft and smooth features hiding behind a fringe of silvery wisps. Completely enigmatic in both expression and tone.

"Mind if I ask how?" she continued keeping an eye on his expression...which didn't change.

"Scent," Zexion replied.

"So...you can smell anyone in the castle at any and all times?" Thorn asked not sure if she'd like that ability. "You must have one very powerful nose."

"It has its uses," Zexion replied matter-of-factly.

Thorn was silent for a few moments, wondering how to word her next question. "Okay, this may sound weird, but I have to ask… do I smell… bad?"

A tempered smile spread across the impassive face. "Quite the contrary." Before she could ask what it was she smelled like he answered for her. "Your particular scent I would describe as a mixture of spices and roses."

Thorn marveled at that, having mixed feelings about her personal aroma. "Does everyone have a particular smell to them?"

"Oh yes," Zexion confirmed. "I suppose you can say each person's scent is a reflection of who they are."

"So, roses and spices is a reflection of who I am?" Thorn wondered to herself. She shrugged before voicing her next question as she deposited her second load of books. "So, what do the others smell like?" Zexion gave her a look and she assumed that meant she needed to be more specific. "Um, what about Demyx?"

"Ah yes, he produces an after rain aroma," he answered.

"Really? Huh, I love the way the air smells after it rains," Thorn murmured thinking about the scent. "Ooh, and Vexen?"

"Have you ever stepped outside at degrees below freezing and breathed in?" he asked her. Thorn nodded, remembering vividly the sensation of her nose hairs freezing with that single inhale. "That's the best way to describe it," said Zexion.

How interesting, she thought. She thought about Axel and she absolutely had to ask. "What about Axel?"

"He smells of sulfur and burnt wood, and there is a strong heat tied to his scent," Zexion explained.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised," Thorn murmured in amusement. At the same time she couldn't help but think how much she enjoyed the scent of burning wood. "Marluxia next."

"He also has a flowery scent, though his is much stronger than yours," Zexion answered after some thought. "And blood."

The conversation continued in this manner, Thorn asking about each of the members. He answered each one in turn until she finally asked about the leader's scent.

"The leader..." Zexion mused. "I can only describe his scent as pure darkness."

"Pure darkness?" Thorn wondered about what sort of smell darkness would have.

They finished the last trip and returned to Zexion's room so they could start reorganizing the remaining books on the shelf. Thorn took a deep inhale of the room and she noticed something she hadn't consciously registered until now.

"Zexion, do you know what you smell like?" she asked him.

He stared at her for a long time before giving a small shake of his head. "When you live in constant presence of your scent, your senses become desensitized to it. I am no exception."

"Paper and…" Sniff. "…ink," Thorn said with a ghost of a smile. "It's a very pleasant smell."

"Thank you," Zexion murmured and Thorn was sure she caught sight of the tiniest amount of pink on his mostly hidden cheeks.

He began sorting the remaining books into different categories after this and Thorn quickly joined him. The books were sorted into magic, history, philosophy and a few other genres. Then Thorn started returning them to the shelves, alphabetizing each section by title. After a few moments of this Zexiion stopped her and shook his head.

"I'd prefer to be able to identify where the book is by author if you please."

She shrugged and began the alphabetizing over, this time by author. They weren't her books so what could she do about it. "I don't suppose I could borrow a few of these?" she threw out while glancing through one of particular interest.

"I'd rather no one other than myself take these books from my room," he answered.

"Oh… I understand," Thorn said masking her disappointment.

Several beats of silence passed. Then… "If however our periods of free time happen to coincide, you are welcome to come here and read them."

Thorn's eyes widened a little for a moment as she inspected him before she smiled a littlle. "I'll definitely take you up on that."

* * *

CM: Yeah, we know, Axel wasn't in this chapter for too long, or the chapter before. But we do want to shed a little light on some of the other members. Plus he has quite a bit of screen time next chapter so look forward to that.


	8. Subtlety

CM: Before we start the chapter, a thanks to The HoneyBadgerNight and jkls39 for your reviews. We're very glad people are liking Thorn and the story so far. :D

* * *

**Chapter 8: Subtlety **

A couple more weeks passed when a presence roused Axel from the depths of sleep. This was unusual, since he normally got up the same time every day, which was still too early for his tastes. The visitor was Saix.

"Well, well," Axel said cracking a grin despite having his sleep disturb. "This is a pleasant surprise. You hardly ever visit me anymore." He sat up and stretched a little, releasing a wide yawn. "But you know... you could have at least knocked."

Saix shook his head as though shaking off Axel's comment. "Vexen has requested your assistance."

Axel's brow furrowed in confusion. "Down in the labs?"

"No," Saix stated. "With the heartseer."

"What can I do that he can't manage?" Axel asked scratching his head. It didn't make sense, Vexen was always able to get what he wanted through his little experiments.

"I do not know," Saix replied blankly. "He's expecting you in the labs right now though."

Axel groaned before nodding that he understood and took his time getting to the scientist's lab. When he arrived, Vexen was pouring over his notes while a few visible heartless beat against their glass containers. "So, what is it you want me for?" he asked as soon as he entered. He really didn't want to be there for very long if he could help it.

"Ah, excellent," Vexen said looking up from his notes. "I need you to find out anything you can from the heartseer. Her family, her home, anything and everything."

"And you can't, because…?" Axel asked.

"She absolutely refuses to tell me anything regarding her personal life," Vexen stated in frustration.

"No kidding?" Axel said trying not to make his sarcasm too apparent.

"Every piece of information is crucial," Vexen said wringing his hands. "I must get my hands on it."

Axel folded his arms across his chest. "Okay. So why me?"

"Because you were the first to truly converse with her and she seems to be more willing to reveal information to you and that music nut," Vexen explained fussing over the notes in his hands.

"So why not get the music nut?" Axel asked curiously.

"He doesn't have the subtlety needed to obtain the information without raising suspicions," Vexen replied exasperatedly. "You are able to obtain the information without bringing to light that it is for me."

Axel sighed and shook his head. Sure it sounded easy enough. It wasn't as if he was adverse to the idea of being in her company. If nothing else it beat being in the same room with Larxene any day of the week. But the girl had tight lips. Tight, purple coated lips. If he wanted anything from her, he'd more than likely have to be willing to give up a few things himself.

"It'll take time," Axel said finally.

"Then I suggest you get started straight away," Vexen declared before turning away. "I'll even give the girl time off so the two of you can become better acquainted."

"Your generosity is only exceeded by your brilliance," Axel stated, and before Vexen could realize that too was sarcasm the red head turned to leave. "I'll get right to it."

He left the lab and headed over to Thorn's room going over in his head what he was going to try and pry from her first. He assumed that he'd have to get her up as it was still early, but he didn't mind. It didn't take long to reach her room and he could see that she did a little more decorating since the last time. Her door now had dark flowers and what looked like thorned vines drawn all over it. Just looking at the door he was sure it was going to be a long day. So not wanting to waste any time, he pushed the door open without knocking and almost jumped in surprise at what he found. Thorn was already awake and stood holding her cloak in her hands. She was wearing a very short, tight shorts with a tank top that tied at the back of the neck leaving the majority of her back exposed along with both of her arms and her midsection. On her back was a tattoo of a sword with a rose in the center, the word THORN written across the hilt and thorned vines that wrapped around the blade and seemed to stretch all the way down her arms to her wrists.

"Don't you know how to knock?" she asked looking up at him with her eyebrows raised.

Axel scratched the side of his head in a sheepish manner, considering he'd said the same thing to Saix just a little while ago. "Sorry about that," he said before gesturing to her back. "Nice tattoos."

"Thanks," she replied, throwing her cloak on. "You should see what they can do." He was a little confused by the statement and she deliberately chose to keep him wondering. "Well, if you need something, make it fast. I gotta be in the lab today."

"Actually, today you'll be with me," Axel corrected with a smile.

Thorn pulled her gloves on. "And Vexen knows about this?"

"Of course." He ordered it.

"Well, I guess if it means I don't have to deal with him or his experiments its good," she said satisfied with her appearance. "So then, what are WE doing today?"

"Still want that tour?" he asked with a smirk. "We got all day so we can take our time and see a pretty good chunk of the castle."

Thorn nodded looking pleased with this idea. "I like that idea."

As the two of them wandered, Axel decided to start off with small talk, since they would have plenty of time. "So do you like it here so far?"

Thorn nodded. "Yeah, it's nice. I'm getting a little sick of being down in the labs though."

"Honestly I think Vexen is the only one who _enjoys_ being down there," he stated humorously.

"Yeah… I don't like the way he looks at me sometimes… it's kind of creepy." Almost as creepy as the stares she got from some of the male teachers back in school

"Besides the fact that he's just kind of a creepy guy in general, care to explain what you mean?" Axel asked curiously.

"Well, when he looks at me I almost feel as if I'm prey being stared at by a predator," Thorn replied after a moments thought. "Though I suppose being the guy's main experimenting subject would do that."

"Oh, that's it? Well don't worry about it too much," he assured her with a little humor in his voice. "That's just his way of showing his interest in his new favorite subject. He won't do anything the leader doesn't okay."

Well, that was a comfort, she supposed.

"Hey, Thorn!"

Both Thorn and Axel came to a halt, hearing the running footsteps from behind, and turned to see Demyx. He came to a stop a few feet in front of them looking happy to see them, or her anyway.

"What's up?" she asked the newcomer.

"Could you swing by my room later tonight?" he asked entreatingly. "I wrote a new melody and I really want you to hear it."

Axel rolled his eyes and shook his head a little. The music nut was always trying to grab someone's attention with his music. What surprised him was when Thorn smiled and nodded to his invitation.

"You can count me in," she replied.

"Sweet!" Demyx exclaimed balling one hand into a fist in triumph. "I'll see you there! Say where are you going anyway?"

"Axel's giving me the grand tour since I don't seem to have lab duty today," Thorn explained uncaringly. "We just got started and I don't really want to miss out on any of the more exciting parts so we have to get going."

"I got it," Demyx said with a nod. Thorn started to head forward after this and Demyx turned to Axel. "Are you trying to get personal info out of her on this lone tour?" he asked getting a goofy grin on his face.

"Maybe, but it doesn't concern you either way," Axel replied with a shrug as he started after the girl.

"Sure it does," the sitar player cut in real quick. "Considering...I know something about her that you'll probably never find out."

With that Demyx turned tail and scurried off. Axel didn't think too much on the musician's leaving comment. Whatever it was, he doubted it was anything terribly important. Still, the fire wielder found it peculiar a girl as prickly as Thorn would want to be around a goofball like Demyx. Oh well, he'd get around to that later.

As they walked along Twilight View, Thorn took that opportunity to peer down at the world below. Through the black haze and empty city could be seen below.

"Anyone live down there?" Thorn asked, riveted by the sight.

"Nothing but heartless," he answered solemnly.

Thorn imagined how quiet it must be. How odd for a city. Eerie. Chilling. She'd fit right in. "I'll have to explore later."

"I did say it was filled with heartless," Axel repeated. "You go down there and you may not come back up."

"What, you worried?" Thorn asked with a smirk on her face. "I know all the secret ways of getting around a city without being seen and I've had enough practice fighting heartless that I'll be just fine."

_"So, she's lived in a city before,"_ Axel noted keeping an eye on her while he too looked over the edge. _"No way to tell if that was her home city of if she just stayed in a world with one long enough to grasp that."_ He shrugged thinking he'd eventually get around to that part of if but he knew she wouldn't answer if he asked her right then.

"So, what do you think of the castle and the members so far?" he asked out loud trying to get her to keep moving. "You seem to like Demyx well enough."

"He's entertaining to be around," she stated elusively turning away from the window.

They continued on. "And the others?"

Thorn looked at him, suspicion in her eyes. "Why are you so interested?"

Damn, even if she couldn't see into his non-existent heart, she was either perceptive or just paranoid. He was leaning towards the latter. "Well, I am the one who brought you here," he said with a shrug, glancing away. "Just making sure you don't regret coming with me."

When he glanced back at her, her eyes had softened just the slightest. "I don't," she told him shaking her head. "Not at all."

"Good to know," Axel said looking away again. There was silence between the two until he felt she was no longer beside him. He paused and turned to see that she had stopped a ways before and was staring out the window again. "Something wrong?"

"No," she said quickly shaking her head. She started walking toward him, her eyes directed forward but stopped once again moments later. "Well maybe. You see, there are a few things I left behind when I came with you since it happened on such short notice. I was kind of hoping I'd be allowed to go and retrieve them...that's all."

Oh boy… he could see where this was going. He doubted she'd be allowed to go back to get her stuff. "Is it important?"

Thorn nodded. "Yeah, more than my life."

Axel thought it over. This might be a chance to get her to trust him more. And really, how hard would it be to sneak into her place to retrieve a few items? He could do it after finishing one of his missions.

"Hmm, I really shouldn't," he said aloud. "But since it's _that_ important to you…"

"If you can get me back to TwilightTown I can take care of the rest," Thorn promised getting a determined look in her eye. "It would only take a minute or two."

"You know I can't just let you go in there by yourself," Axel pointed out seriously.

"You won't have to...you can come with me if it makes you feel better," she stated clearly. Her face was betraying nothing but her eyes held a clear sign that she wouldn't back down and if he didn't help her she'd request it from someone else.

"Alright, if it'll only take a minute or two then we can go and come back without any one noticing," he agreed. "But you won't be leaving my sight the whole time we're gone...got it?"

"Got it," she reiterated.

Axel could tell it was all she could do not to look excited. He cracked a grin. "Good, now let's get on with this tour. We still got a lot of ground to cover."

* * *

A few days later, Thorn found her way to Zexion's room and knocked on his door. After a few moments he answered and welcomed her inside. He asked her about how she was fairing, and she let him know that everything hunky-dory. He then offered her any book of her choosing to read. Sadly, though, she wasn't here just to peek through his books. It was a condition Axel had made. If she wanted to chance going with him, she had to silence the one person who would know without a doubt she'd left the castle.

"Hey, Zexion?" Thorn asked after choosing a book which looked particularly intriguing. "Have you ever had something you couldn't bear to lose?" She closed her eyes. Maybe she should have worded that better.

Zexion thought about the question for a moment before nodding. "Yes, my books. If I did not have them I don't know what I'd do to relieve my boredom."

"Yeah, I have something like that," she murmured glancing over at him and gently closing the book in her hand. "Unfortunately I ended up leaving it at my previous residence when I came here with Axel."

"And you wish to retrieve it," Zexion put together. Thorn nodded slowly looking up at him. "The leader will not allow you to leave the castle."

"I know," she murmured softly. "So...I was hoping you could turn a blind nose for a moment...long enough for me to go back grab my important item and come back. I won't do or go anywhere else."

Zexion contemplated this for a minute or so. "So long as your actions do not jeopardize the Organization, I have no qualms," he said finally. "However…" the corners of his mouth curved upwards and Thorn knew what was coming. "I would like something in return for my silence."

"I have a book I think you'd be interested in," Thorn said immediately. "You're free to go through it once I go get it."

When she told him the title, she was relieved to find it was one he hadn't already read or didn't already own. After that Thorn felt rest assured she wouldn't need to worry about Zexion blabbing. At the end of her visit, as she was leaving, he stopped her.

"Just a moment," he said. "There is one more thing I'd like you to get…"

* * *

CM: Ooh, what is this thing Zexion wants her to get? Find out in the next chapter. See you then.


	9. Intruder

CM: Before we start the chapter, a thanks to jkls39 and FireWolfHeart for your reviews. Very much appreciated. :D

* * *

**Chapter 9: Intruder**

After her success with convincing Zexion, she immediately met up with Axel back at her room and gave him the good news. He seemed slightly surprised by how easy it was for her but shrugged it off and opened the portal leading toTwilightTown. The pair appeared in the 'struggle' arena and made sure no one was around before Thorn opened another portal and ushered the red head inside.

"So, why didn't you do this before if you could?" Axel asked perplexed.

"Because I can only open portals to other parts of the same world," Thorn explained hurriedly. "I can't go between worlds without help." She was practically running through the path of darkness pausing at the end and spinning to face her companion.

"Okay, this is going to be my room, my VERY PRIVATE room. So, don't go telling anyone what you see in there...okay?"

"Sure, lips are sealed," Axel promised. He doubted anyone he knew would ask or care.

The room they entered was cluttered and dusty. Torn curtains and worn furniture, creaky floor boards and cracked walls. Not surprising, the whole mansion was one big fixer-upper. What was most intriguing about the room was what hung on the walls. Pictures, so many they were like wallpaper. Most were violent or gruesome depictions of a man cloaked in red. Axel spotted one different from the majority. A picture of three males and a goth girl with the word "ZITZ" scribbled roughly across the top. Well, if nothing else he learned she was a decent artist.

While he was examining the place, Thorn crept over to her bed and dove underneath it. She pulled up a loose floorboard and dug out a few items: a book wrapped in cloth, a music box, and a journal.

"Got everything?" he asked pulling his eyes away from the walls to see her put everything into a large bag that she slung over her back.

"Almost, I've got one last thing to grab," she replied hurrying to the door and opening it as quietly as possible.

Just after she slipped out, Axel walked over to the wall taking the picture of the four people down. He tucked it safely away into his cloak before leaving the room and following after her.

Once it was open she glanced around searching for any sign of Diz then ran down the hall, passed the stairs to another room that had a large refrigerator in it; Axel keeping right on her heels. She skidded to a halt in front of the fridge, pulled open the freezer door and grabbed one unopened box of Sea Salt ice cream bars, without knocking over the rest that filled the entirety of the small space, and turned to face the red head.

"Okay, now I'm done."

"Should I even ask?" Axel said looking at the box.

"It's for Zexion," she explained briefly.

He should've guessed. "Are you sure you have everything? No coming back later."

Thorn nodded. "Yeah, let's go."

* * *

Yensid rubbed his forehead as he slowly closed the door to his study. He'd just finished fixing the destroyed kitchen after stopping the fight between two of the resident fairies and he wanted some time to relax. He'd also recently started setting up barriers around the castle to keep the heartless that had started appearing from entering so all of that mingled together had made his exhausted. He'd just sat down at his desk to recover when the door burst open and in stormed Diz.

"Now what?" he wondered to himself seeing the look on his guest's face. "Has something happened?" he asked outloud already knowing the answer.

"Yes, that apprentice of your broke into the mansion and took her things as well as an item from me," Diz declared angrily.

If Yensid didn't have such self control he might have chuckled. The thought of the young girl sneaking in and out under Diz's nose was humorous, but not terribly surprising. The young lady was skilled in getting around without being detected.

"What did she take from you?" he was obliged to ask.

"Just a box of the Sea Salt ice cream," Diz answered waving it off. "But it's not a matter of what she took, it's a matter of her taking from me at all. She doesn't even eat that ice cream."

Yensid sighed. He found the whole thing amusing but was sure that the man's ranting wasn't just to relieve pent up frustration. "So are you saying you want me to discipline an apprentice that I do not have authority over?"

"No, but I wish for you to speculate," Diz told him. "What was she even doing back there in the first place? Think of what all it may imply."

Yensid did, thinking over all of the possibilities, until he narrowed them down to the two most likely. One was she escaped captivity from the Nobodies. The alternative: she was working _with_ them.

"In any case," Yensid stated finally, "we know she is safe for the time. We should be grateful."

"As long as she is with those things she is not safe," Diz corrected. "She may be alive, but all that confirms is that her ability is only useful if she remains so. When that loses it's usefulness, she will no longer be able to live."

The wizard rubbed his forehead once more. He knew Diz was right that his apprentice would only live as long as her usefulness held out. But she was capable and he was sure she had some backup plans in case things went south.

"I trust she knows what she is doing," Yensid said at last, looking up into his friend's eyes. "I think you should have a little more faith in her."

Diz released a long, slow breath. "If I didn't have faith in her, I wouldn't have picked her up off of that fading world in the first place. I had hopes for her, and I believed leaving her with you would help her grow."

"She is still growing," Yensid reminded him.

"Yes I know," Diz murmured as he slowly calmed down.

"Perhaps this dangerous situation is really a blessing in disguise," Yensid continued. "Perhaps she will now be able to learn how to interact with people without relying on her gift. She needs this."

"Perhaps you're right," Diz admitted turning away. "All the same, as foolish as she may be, I never would have wished this for her."

With nothing else to say, he left Yensid's study to return to his mansion inTwilightTown. Really, in the end, all they could do was sit and wait.

* * *

It had been a long day for Axel. He'd been sent to take out a pretty nasty heartless that had popped up in one of the worlds they were currently investigating. Now, back in his room, all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep away the rest of the evening. His head had just hit the pillow when there was a…

WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!

…on his door. His eyes shot open and he released a sound of irritation. As annoying as that knock was he already knew who it would be. He thought about ignoring them, but instead decided to get up and answer the door. That way he could set the disturber of his sleep on fire and ensure there was no repeat of this incident in the future.

When he opened the door, there was Demyx looking distressed. At least he had enough sense to use the door... unlike someone else he knew. "What?" Axel asked him. "Did Saix take away your toy again?"

"What? No!" Demyx exclaimed. "It's about Thorn." Axel felt himself not wanting to hear whatever he was going to say even more at this statement. "She's been feeling really cooped up lately and I figured you'd know a way to help her out."

"Demyx, if she really was having a problem then she should take it up with Saix," Axel pointed out. "There's nothing I can do about it and unless she specifically asked you to help her I'd tell you to drop it as well."

"I can't just do that though," Demyx insisted. "She seems so miserable and is barely listening to me play anymore."

One month and the kid was already attached to this girl. It was almost laughable, yet Axel didn't find himself very humored. "So what do you want me to about it, Demyx?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Demyx said unsure. Then an idea struck him "Maybe you could talk to Saix. He listens to you."

Axel shook his head. "Don't bring me into this."

"You brought her here," Demyx pointed out reproachfully.

_"I am the one who brought you here… Just making sure you don't regret coming with me."_

Axel remembered his own words from nearly a week ago. He shook his head again. This kid… and this girl… like it was HIS fault people always expected him to do the dirty work.

"Okay look, if I agree to talk to Thorn and find out what's what will you leave right now?" he conditioned. Demyx nodded enthusiastically and Axel smirked. "Great, then we'll know what to do once we talk...until then though. I'm going to sleep."

With that he closed the door on the protesting boy's face. He headed back to his bed and collapsed into the pillow. She was stubborn and strong willed, chances were she wouldn't admit it, which meant after he talked to her he wouldn't have a reason to do anything more. Good, he was tired of dealing with problems that didn't involve him.

* * *

It was very rare Axel dreamt about anything. When he did it was mostly about his life before he lost his heart. Strangely enough he dreamt about something else.

Roses.

It was so simple yet so odd. He was standing in a field of roses and the smell of them overtook his senses. There was something else he could smell, but he couldn't figure out what it was. Nor could he seem to find it in the sea of pink and red and orange and… there were so many… He reached down to pick one. But he couldn't move his arm for some weird reason. He felt the sea shift, then they were creeping onto him, covering him, and the smell became stronger. How odd though, they felt so warm… almost like they were alive…

He slowly started drawing himself out of the strange dream by moving his eyes back and forth beneath the lids and trying again to move his arm but finding it impossible. As he attempted pull his arm toward him, he felt something move on it and his eyes shot open in surprise. He was even more shocked to find black and purple hair directly in front of him revealing the source of the strange moving weight. At the sight of the being, a shout of surprise escaped him and he watched as the eyes before him slowly opened.

"Hmm...just wait...five more...minutes."

"What are you doing in my room?" Axel asked pulling his arm out from underneath her head and sitting up. "Or my bed for that matter?"

Thorn rolled over so that her back was facing him, clearly intent on returning to her slumber. Like Axel would let her. He wouldn't be able to go back to sleep knowing she was there and if he wasn't sleeping she sure as hell wasn't.

"Hey," he said putting a hand on her shoulder and shaking it. "I asked you a question. Did you get lost or something? Did you sleep walk your way here?"

"Never mind," she mumbled sounding agitated. "Just go back to sleep."

"How am I supposed to do that when you're here?" he asked in exasperation.

"Shutting up would be a great start," she retorted.

"I can't sleep when you're in my bed," Axel stated trying to keep his voice down.

"Why not?"

"You seriously don't see any reason this can't work?"

"Exactly," she answered wrapping her hands around her bare arms. "I don't see why you do."

Axel sighed rubbed his forehead. There was no winning the argument he knew, but he still didn't want her to stay in his bed. "Why are you in here in the first place? You have your own bed, go sleep in it." He could tell he'd touched on something as he watched her pull her knees up, curling up into a ball.

"I just couldn't sleep," she finally muttered. "This was comfortable."

"Why me?" he asked aloud. He seemed to be asking that a lot lately.

It wasn't meant to be answered but she did anyway. "Because I tried sleeping with Demyx but he moves around too much. Zexion was too embarrassed and Marluxia was too… welcoming."

So she actually tried others before him? He wasn't sure that made him feel any better. He sighed and leaned back, not quite laying down but not sitting up either. "Never would have taken you for the bed sharing type anyway," he commented.

"Actually, I'm not used to sleeping alone," she admitted reluctantly, keeping her back turned to him. "And lately I… I dunno, I just feel like I'm suffocating, being indoors all the time. It's like being back at school or the orphanage, except I can never leave."

_"Orphanage...yeah I know what those are like,"_ he thought glancing over at her curled up form. _"Wait...did she just share something about her past...without me even trying to get it? Maybe Vexen was right."_ He looked over at her again and could see the ball she was in grew tighter.

"You know...it is possible that you or I could convince Saix to start sending you on missions or something. I mean your magic could be really useful out in the field." He watched her slowly unwind and turn over to face him.

"You're not just saying that to make me feel better...are you?" Her face was passive, but he was able to see there was a small bit of hope in her eyes.

"Seriously," he told her truthfully. "Why don't you ask him?"

Thorn still appeared doubtful. "And if he says no?"

Axel smiled. "Then I'll sweet talk him until he says yes."

Her eyes scanned his face for a few moments before she allowed a smile to appear. "Okay...thanks, Axel," she said closing her eyes and snuggling deeper into the pillow. "Is it going to bother you too much if I stay here? Or should I consider myself lucky and head back to my room now?"

Axel thought for a moment before lying fully back down and sliding his arm back underneath her head. "Am I really that comfortable?" he teased.

"It's more the fact you're there than you being comfortable to sleep on," Thorn replied turning away from him again.

He could have sworn he saw her cheeks dark the slightest before her face was covered by black and purple.

* * *

CM: Lol, yes, Thorn is an odd little duck. SO, asking Saix for another favor. How will this go? Knowing him, not easy. Stay tuned!


	10. Score

CM: Another thanks to FireWolfHeart for the review. With ongoing stories like these, we need all the encouragement we can get. :)

* * *

**Chapter 10: Score**

A few hours later, Axel got up to get ready for the day and Thorn went back to her room to do the same. They met back up outside the briefing room. Saix was inside in the same spot he always was that time of day. Thorn glanced up at Axel who gave her a nod of encouragement. She took a deep breath and strode over to the blue haired man.

He looked at her blankly. "Did you need something?"

"Yes," she said steadily. "I want to start going on missions too. In other worlds."

"Your duties remain here in the castle," Saix told her right off. "There is no need…"

"I. NEED. OUT." Thorn stated this very firmly. "I'm not planning an escape or anything, but being here twenty-four seven is… well, it's like prison. And I don't feel like I'm helping you guys as much as I could be," she added for good measure.

"You're helping immensely with your sessions with Vexen and assisting Zexion in the cleaning," Saix stated firmly. "Unless a case arises that requires your particular talents, you will not be going out into the field."

"I'm a human being, I need sunlight and fresh air every once in awhile," Thorn argued. "Plus I'm getting rusty on everything I learned without some place I can go and just use it."

"It couldn't hurt, right, Saix?" Axel spoke up. "I mean, at least give her a test run. We could use the extra hand."

"Axel…" Saix said warningly, turning to him.

The red head met the amber gaze dead on. "Alright, how about this then?" he proposed. "She could leave with the members on their missions. Help them get the job done in half the time."

"And would you take responsibility if she were to slip up?" Saix asked him shrewdly.

Axel paused at this. He didn't think it would be this tough to sway Saix. He was usually at least open to suggestion. He looked over at Thorn who was purposely looking away from him. She didn't want to beg him for a favor, not even non-verbally. Really though… she'd done everything asked of her, and he'd heard not a word of complaint from the other members regarding her. Well, maybe Larxene but that didn't count. Axel couldn't see her screwing up, at least not enough to where it would matter.

He looked back at Saix. "Yeah, I would."

The two continued to hold eye contact seemingly having a non-verbal conversation before Saix finally sighed and looked back to the heartseer. "I suppose it would be pointless to keep you from using all of your abilities to assist us," he consented. "So I'll allow ONE mission. If it fails, you're done. If you have to be rescued, you're done. If you cannot work well enough with your companion to get the job done in the first place, you are finished. Understand?"

Yikes. This guy was strict. Whatever, he at least was giving her a chance. "Understood," she said with a nod. "So who will I be paired with first?"

Saix took a few moments, as if to provide dramatic pause before telling her, "You will assist Larxene for today."

Ouch, thought Axel in mild sympathy. Boy did Saix throw her a real curve ball. At least he was being nice enough to not mention the fact if this didn't fly with their leader the mission's success would mean next to nothing. If Axel had thought about it a little more he'd realize this was cruel, rather than kind.

Thorn opened her mouth but quickly closed it when she realized that he'd chosen Larxene for a reason. "When do I head out?" she asked instead keeping all emotions invisible.

"As soon as Larxene arrives," Saix answered pleased by her acceptance.

Thorn nodded and went over to one of the couches to wait, Axel going with her since he had a few minutes to spare before heading out himself.

The goth slumped down onto the couch. "He hates me."

"No he doesn't," Axel told her smilingly. "He has no heart to hate you with." Thorn opened her mouth, clearly ready to protest, but Axel cut her off. "He just wants to make sure that no matter who you're with you'll do a bang up job. If you can handle working with Larxene, you can handle anything."

"Yeah, I gathered that much," she told him, brushing back a few ebony bangs.

The doors opened and both knew by the shock of bright blonde hair who it was. "Guess I'll be heading out then," Axel said looking eager to leave.

"Hey," Thorn said stopping him. "Um… about this morning… thanks."

"Don't worry about it," Axel said waving away the verbal gratitude. "But next time, give me a heads up will you?"

"Yeah, sure thing," Thorn said turning away. Then she realized something. "Wait… _next time_?" But when she turned to look at him again he had stepped through the portal into darkness.

Huh… she never would have dared to believe there would be a next time.

Thorn continued to stare at the point where Axel had disappeared until she heard Larxene talking to Saix. The NOBODY had walked passed her to the blue haired one completely ignoring the goth's existence. "So, what's my assignment for today, Saix?" she asked with a rather bored air.

"You'll be heading out to do some exterminating," Saix replied easily. "And the heartseer will be joining you." As he spoke, Thorn got to her feet and approached them.

"What? Why the heck is she leaving with me? I'm not a babysitter you know!" Larxene shouted in obvious discontent. "Why is she leaving the castle anyway? I thought she was just supposed to be Vexen's plaything."

Thorn closed her eyes, remembering Madam Lulu's teachings about how to control her anger. Envision something appealing to you… Larxene's head being removed… no, no, far too violent… Her tattoo….

She began drowning out Larxene's vicious complaints and entered a world of her own.

Thorn imagined the tattoo on her back clearly. Good… now focus on the details…. Yes, take every single component in turn… the way the sword gleams, the curve of the rose petals, the sharpness of each thorn…

"Heartseer!"

The goth's eyes snapped open and she was looking at Saix.

"Did you not hear what I said?" he demanded, looking almost irritated. "Get going."

She looked to see a portal open and Larxene gone.

"Yes, of course I heard," she replied quickly before passing through the opening. Saix sighed after she was gone. He was beginning to believe he made a mistake allowing her to go. He decided he'd bring it up with the leader before any further decisions were made regarding it.

* * *

Saix was rather surprised at how early the two females arrived back. First came Larxene storming through in her usual foul mood. In all truth he found her constant enmity to be rather grating. She acted as though she had a heart, but in reality her cruelty towards anything she came across only proved the exact opposite. It was shameful, he thought, trying to pretend to be something you were not.

"How did the mission progress?" he asked her before she could get very far.

"Whatever," she grumbled before leaving the room.

Saix once more found this peculiar. He'd expected a string of complaints towards her partner's performance. Even if she was lying through her teeth, which would be more than likely, she should have been belittling the Somebody to ensure no future missions outside of the castle were granted.

Moments later Thorn came through the portal, and with her a large heartless. She looked less than pleased, her cloak dusted up, but other than that, as good as she'd look leaving the castle.

"I was told I'm supposed to bring this to Vexen," she explained the thing she brought with her.

"The mission?" he asked her.

Thorn gave a light shrug. "We cleaned up the heartless in the area, then this big guy appeared and almost took out Larxene." If Saix could read mind's he would have heard the tagged on, "And I almost let him."

"I see," he stated his expression remaining as cold as ever.

It was moments like this where Thorn found herself wishing she could see their hearts. It irritated her that she would never know for sure what was lying beneath their words. "Okay, so I'm just going to take this to him then," she said in a monotone trying not to reveal her immense irritation. As she turned to leave, Saix's voice stopped her once more.

"I spoke to the leader about your...request for missions," he said observing her expression and body language as he spoke. "He agreed to allow it as long as you stick to your orders and listen to whoever is accompanying you." Thorn looked him directly in the eye without giving an inch, though inside she was having a celebration. "Based on your apparent performance today, I will agree as well." Thorn nodded and was about to turn but his next words stopped her dead in her tracks. "However, note that this will be the LAST time I follow through with one of your requests."

She looked up at him and knew instantly he meant what he said, and not even Axel's coaxing would be able to sway him. "I'll remember that," she said. Then nodding her head she excused herself and left the room with the Heartless. She tried not to skip as she headed down to the labs, eager to dump off the load and share the good news with her…

…Friends?

Thorn wondered if that was the right word to describe them.

* * *

After quickly dumping the thing off in Vexen's lab Thorn quickly ducked out so as to avoid having to do any immediate analyzing and shut herself in her room. Hardly anyone else was back from their missions so she had some time to kill. Grabbing her journal from under her pillow she began writing furiously of the day's events providing plenty of colorful illustration to go with it.

After an hour or so of this, she finally felt relieved of her more negative emotions and closed the Journal before heading out of her room. She spent the next few hours roaming around the castle revisiting the places Axel had shown her before that she enjoyed. After awhile she got bored and headed back to the mission briefing room to see if her two friends had returned yet. When she reached it, she found Demyx lying on his favorite couch playing his sitar like always.

"Hey, Demyx," she greeted warmly. "Had a good mission?"

"Oh, Thorn. Yeah it was alright I guess," he replied with a shrug. "I would have rather stayed here and practice a few songs but Saix wouldn't let me."

"At least you didn't have to tag team with Larxene," she told him.

His face lit up with horror and he actually flinched. "Oh man, is that what they had you do? I'd rather eat a one of those poisonous mushroom things."

Thorn chuckled a little at that, knowing exactly what he meant. "Well, it was mission success in the end. They're letting me go on missions regularly now. In between lab work and stuff."

"I'd say congrats but to be honest I dunno why you'd wanna even do missions," Demyx told her honestly.

"A chance to get out," she told him. "Anyways, have you seen Axel?"

Demyx nodded. "Yeah, he got back a while ago."

Her eyebrows raised in almost an impish fashion. "Wanna come with me to bug him?"

"You know he's trying to sleep right?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah I figured," she said with a smirk. "But he can afford long enough to chat."

Demyx got a big grin on his face at this and nodded before picking up his sitar and following her out the door.

"Have you ever had the urge to just do something totally stupid AND awesome?" he asked her as they walked.

"No," she said. "Because it's either completely stupid or it's completely awesome."

When they got to his room Thorn tried to open it but it was locked. Phooey.

"No sweat, that's why we use these," Demyx said opening a portal and dragging her through with him.

The next thing Thorn knew, they were on the other side of Axel's door. The lights were out and she could make out a shape curled up in the bed.

"Awe, he must be really tired," she whispered in amusement before slowly making her way to the bed, Demyx right behind her. Just as they reached the bed, Thorn used her magic to flip the lights on while she and Demyx both jumped onto the bed making its occupant sit up and nearly stab them with his chakram. "Hehe...are you awake, Axel?" Thorn asked with an amused smile.

"Haha! You should have seen the look on your face, man!" Demyx shouted almost falling off the bed.

"What are you both doing in here?" Axel demanded putting his weapon away. He could have killed them both right then and neither of them looked the slightest bit nervous about that.

"Just came to share," Thorn said relaxing down on the bed and crossing her legs in a sitting position. "Saix is gonna let me go on missions from now on."

"Hate to burst your bubble, but I already know," Axel said with a short yawn. "In fact Saix was kind enough to let me know your next mission will be with me."

"Really?" she said sounding casual surprised. Inside she was thinking SCORE! Talk about a hot bonus. Axel was definitely one of the more tolerable people at the castle.

"Yeah, it's his way of getting back at me for pushing the idea," he replied sitting forward, since he clearly wasn't going to get any sleep with these two around.

Her brow furrowed. "How is that considered getting back at you?"

"Cuz Axel hates babysitting," Demyx chimed in.

Thorn raised an eyebrow. "You really think you'll have to babysit me?" she asked. "I just got through saving Larxene's ass when she too thought I couldn't handle myself."

"Well, that's not exactly hard to do if she's distracted by pretty things," Axel pointed out.

"Trust me, when we head out, you'll only have to worry about the number of heartless you take out," Thorn retorted. "Chances are that I'll be destroying far more than you."

"I'd love to see that!" Demyx exclaimed. "Your magic versus his fire...that would be an awesome competition. Hey we should make it an actual competition...loser uh...does the other's chores for a month or something like that."

"Sure, why not?" Axel said relaxing back against the headboard. "I could use a few afternoons off to sleep."

"Yeah, you keep thinking that when I wipe the floor with you," Thorn said with competitive flare in her eyes.

"Excuse me…" In the open doorway stood Zexion holding a book in his hands.

"Oh, hey, Zexion," Thorn said with a small wave.

"Whoa, the book worm is out and about," Demyx said in astonishment.

Zexion gave Demyx a look of distaste before looking back at Thorn. "I came to return your book, as well as thank you for lending it to me." He remained standing in the doorway, seemingly not wanting to step any farther in than was absolutely necessary.

Thorn had other ideas. "Why don't you come on in?" she said waving her hand. "We're having a party in here."

"You wanna party, take it somewhere else," Axel told her.

"Oh come on, it's just one more person. He's cool," Thorn said in the bookworm's defense.

"That's not the point…" Axel muttered.

"You can sleep any time," she told him with a soft smile. "Spending time with others is quite a luxury." She looked over at Zexion and her smile became much nicer. "Come on in, its fine. Axel doesn't mind."

"Thank you for the invitation," Zexion said with a faint smile. "But I'm afraid I'm not one for… get-togthers, and also I have things I need to do. Perhaps another time."

Thorn sighed. She was disappointed, but she wasn't going to push him into it. Seeing that he wasn't coming in, she swung her legs around and slid off the bed before going over to him.

As he handed the book over she heard him speak softly, privately. "I look forward to my chance of seeing you on the field."

Thorn was a little surprised by this, but she easily hid that and smiled her thanks before closing the door behind him and returned to Axel's bed. "So, any idea where we're being sent?" she asked upon her return acting as if nothing had interrupted them.

"Not yet," Axel answered deciding not to point out the sudden return to topic. "But he'll tell us tomorrow before we head out. It's because it's first thing tomorrow morning that I was attempting to get some sleep."

"Is that Axel speak for 'get lost or I'll burn you to a crisp?'" Thorn asked wryly.

"Trust me, you don't want to deal with me when I'm sleep deprived," he told her, smiling at her crack. "Just ask Demyx."

"It's true," Demyx told her pointing to his head. "My hair used to be longer than this."

Thorn actually laughed. "He actually burnt your hair off? What did you DO?"

"I jammed a little too hard when he hadn't gotten any sleep for a day or two," Demyx answered cringing at the memory.

"And you're getting this close to repeating the experience," Axel muttered glaring at the boy, using his thumb and forefinger to illustrate.

"Oh please," Thorn chuckled, amused by the reason Demyx had short hair. "Sleep is overrated. You don't really have to sleep for that many hours in a day. If you get in 2 hours every 4 or so hours then you should be just fine."

"Not me, I'd take seven naps a day if they'd let me," Axel told her.

"I'd sleep during the day and stay up all night if my job would let me," Thorn commented.

"I don't know about sleep but if I could stay in the castle all day and just chill with my baby, I'd be happy," Demyx inputted.

It continued on like this for about an hour or so, the three of them talking about pointless things, Demyx sometimes plucking out a quick tune out of habit. And there would be the occasional laughter. Until Axel kicked them out of his room so he could get some shut eye.

When they'd gone Axel thought about how all the members usually kept to themselves. How he would never have spent any lengthy amount of time with Demyx had it not been for her.

* * *

CM: So we actually did have the mission with Larxene written out, but decided the details really weren't needed for the story's progression. That and we really just don't like her. Our apologies to any Larxene fans out there.


	11. Something Precious

CM: Oh happy day, a new chapter. And this one has a lot more Axel goodness going on in it, so hurrah hurrah! Another thanks to FireWolfHeart and to Chuckie2512 for the reviews. Don't forget to share some of that popcorn. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 11: Something Precious**

The next morning Axel found himself waiting in the briefing room for Thorn to show up. It had already been 20 minutes passed the time she was supposed to have met them and she still had not appeared. Just as Saix was getting tired of waiting and send Axel to either collect her or leave without her, she finally ran into the room.

"I apologize for being late," she said walking up to the two. "I had lost my medium in my room and needed to find it before I went anywhere."

"Locating it took 20 extra minutes?" Saix demanded obviously irritated.

"Yes," Thorn replied easily. "Now can we get a move on? I have already wasted enough time trying to find it and I'd rather not waste any more."

Axel wasted no time opening the portal, wanting to get out of there before Saix had second thoughts about letting her go. When the two of them emerged on the other side they were in a town where it was night and several streetlamps and neon signs lit up the place.

"What is this place?" she asked Axel.

"That's what we're here to find out, amongst other thing," he told her. "Today's mission is to investigate this world, find out about the way it works, the local residents, things like that."

"Okay then, should be really simple," Thorn murmured looking around. "I assume you don't want to be seen while you're snooping around though."

"Exactly, no one sees you and you don't talk to anyone," Axel answered. Thorn nodded and the two began to head down the cobbled street into town.

There were hardly any people out and about though it was clear it was inhabited. Along the way, Thorn paused long enough to remove her cloak, wrap it up and then tie it around her waist.

"What are you doing?" Axel asked looking at her now bare arms, legs, and back; her tattoos in clear view.

"I found before that one of the easiest ways to get information on a place was blending into the crowd and finding out through gossip or actually talking to the residents," she explained easily. "I can understand why you don't want to be spotted but for me, I can easily connect and appeal to their more pleasant talkative sides making it easier to glean info than just watching."

"You're missing the point entirely," Axel told her. "Think about it, say you went around and talked to people. You stick out; people would easily remember you. And then say you had to come back, people would recognize you. You don't think they'll start to get suspicious of why a girl keeps appearing and disappearing, yet she doesn't seem to live anywhere around town? People will get suspicious, and you'll get in trouble."

"Your concern is touching," Thorn said with a smile. At the scowl on his face she said seriously, "Look I know what I'm doing. I'm at the top of my class in mage training. Erasing people's short term memory of me will be a breeze. It will be like they never met me."

Something flickered across Axel's face, something she couldn't discern. All she knew was he still wasn't set with the idea.

"Alright, but I decide when it's time to disappear," he finally agreed. He still felt really off about the whole thing, but if it worked then who was he to complain.

She smiled her thanks as he took the shadows making sure to not let her out of his sight while she took to the streets. Shortly after starting, she spotted a large yellow dog dashing out of an alleyway and disappearing up the stairs followed by a young boy, appearing somewhere around the age of 15, with short spikey brown hair who quickly lost it. She watched him take in the scenery of the town and couldn't help but notice the confused and almost scared look in his eye which coupled with the images pooling from his heart to show, he was not a resident. "Hello there," she greeted walking toward the boy putting a comforting smile onto her face as she spoke.

The kid spun around, bright blue eyes widening as they took her in. "H-hello," he stuttered, backing up a step before steadying himself.

"You look lost," Thorn commented while scanning his heart. She saw the images of a few people, and an island being swallowed up by blackness. Her breath caught. She'd watched the same thing happen to hers… this kid was like her! A survivor of a lost world…

"Kind of," the boy admitted, calming down a little. "Do you know where we are?"

Thorn shook her head. "I'm new here myself. Why don't we see if there's someone we can ask? Better than wandering the streets alone, right?"

"Right," he agreed eagerly. It was clear he'd never been off on his own and with her as a new companion he quickly calmed down.

"So what's your name?" she asked as they began to head for the store at the top of the stairs. "I'm Thorn."

"Sora," the boy murmured nervously. "How did you get here?"

"I'm not sure," she told him sadly. "I remember running from these weird looking things with my friends and then...nothing but black. Next thing I know I'm waking up here."

"Me too! Riku… Kairi… I hope they're okay," the boy whispered.

Looking over at him, she could see water glistening at the edges of his eyes. He was exactly like her...except she had better control over herself. "Well, if you're here, then maybe they made it here as well," Thorn told him encouragingly as she pushed the door open. She could see the connection between him and a white haired boy was still there, while the girl…

Thorn paused in the doorway… it was with him. The boy was carrying two hearts inside of him!

Realizing she had stopped, Thorn quickly stepped aside to let the boy come in after her. The shop was very warm and welcoming in appearance. Behind the counter stood a man with short blonde hair, goggles on his head, and a toothpick set between his lips.

"Welcome," he said to them once they were through the door. "Wasn't expecting any customers, what with… well, anyways, welcome!" he repeated. "Name's Cid."

"Hi," Thorn greeted looking him over quickly. His heart too showed an image of a world of blackness. "Um, we're not actually customers. See, we just sort of appeared here and were wondering if you could tell us where we are exactly?"

"You're in Traverse Town," Cid answered removing the wood from his mouth. "And it's really no surprise you ended up here. It's sort of a relay station. It's full of people who've recently lost their homes."

"Has anyone else come here?" Sora asked stepping forward. "I'm looking for my friends, Riku and Kairi. Have you seen them?"

Cid rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Names don't ring a bell. But there's always a chance they be around. Try looking around town a bit. Just watch yourself when you're out wandering about."

Sora turned to Thorn. "I'm gonna go look for my friends," he told her. He looked between her and Cid and thanked them both for their help before leaving the shop.

As he did, Thorn made sure to sponge away the memories of her. The kid was driven to find his friends as quickly as possible. Thorn had the desire to help him, but she had her own problems to deal with for the time. When he was gone she turned to the shop owner and began asking him about the town and its recent activity. She'd picked the perfect place to get info. Cid knew quite a lot about the town and a number of the people in it. She also learned that heartless had began popping up recently.

Lovely, she thought.

"Well, thanks for the info," she said moving away from the counter. "I should probably get going."

"Be careful out there," he told her.

"No need to worry," she said. She gave a single wave of her hand and his eyes became unfocused.

With that, she exited the shop. She stood in front of the entrance mulling over what she'd learned. She stared up at the sky wondering, as she often did, where in the black canopy her world had been before it blinked out of existence.

She managed to pull her mind back down to Earth and set off into the shadows knowing Axel would be nearby.

"So, how did your little discussion with the locals go?" the red head asked as he stepped up to her.

"Not bad, though they weren't locals," she answered her face completely impassive. "This place is apparently a way station for people who...survived the destruction of their world. Both of the people I spoke with ended up here after it happened to their worlds."

"No kidding?" he asked, a thoughtful frown coming to his features.

"Yeah, and apparently heartless have been popping up," she eluded.

"Hmm, well it sounds like between the two of us we dug up some decent intel," Axel said looking satisfied.

"Great, so we can head back now?" she asked him. Truthfully she was dreading it. She knew Vexen would want her to help him analyze the new heartless she'd found.

"Before that," Axel said opening a portal. "A little something special to celebrate your first real mission."

"So what, my mission with Larxene yesterday doesn't count?" Thorn asked sarcastically. Axel didn't reply but he did motion for her to enter and she shrugged heading inside with Axel directly behind her. "So where are we going?"

"Like I said somewhere to celebrate your first successful mission," Axel told her in amusement. He could tell she was a little wary about traveling to different worlds without knowing where she'll come out. "Don't worry, it's somewhere you've been before."

When they stepped out into the world, Thorn nearly gasped. They were back in Twilight Town, but that wasn't what surprised her. They were on top of the clock tower, facing the sunset, the orange glow from the sunlight bringing every bit of the town and landscape to life.

"So this is what it's like up here," she murmured out loud.

Axel smiled, upon seeing her reaction. "I'll be right back," he said before disappearing.

Thorn wondered where he went, but decided to just sit and wait for him. He was back in a few minutes, and he had something in his hands. "Here ya go," he said, holding out to her…. "Something special to celebrate."

She took the offered item and was surprised to find that it was a sea salt ice cream. Axel sat down next to her on the very edge of the tower as she simply stared at the ice cream. "You can eat it you know," he pointed out, amused by the staring female.

Moments later his amusement turned to shock as she chucked the ice cream into the air and blasted it with a fire ball. "What the heck was that for?" he demanded.

"What? I don't like sea salt ice cream," she replied with a shrug. "All they're good for is target practice."

"You could've just given it to me then," Axel muttered looking affronted. "What a waste."

Thorn felt a stab of guilt feeling as though she had just caused him a big offense. '_Well, duh!' _She thought to herself. '_How would you feel if you gave someone a gift and they blew it to smithereens? He doesn't understand why you hate that stuff so much.'_

"I didn't mean to be rude," she said apologetically. "It's just… you remember that guy I was with before?"

"The guy wrapped up like a mummy?" Axel inferred. "Hard to forget someone like that."

"Well, when I was living with him, all he ever kept in stock for food was sea salt ice cream. If I wanted something else I had to go get it myself. And by the time I was usually done working the shops would be closed and the only thing left would be that DAMN ice cream." She released a long exhale. "So…yeah."

Axel smiled a little. "So does all ice cream offend you?"

She shook her head. "No… just that one. But I prefer spicy things over sweet... or salty."

"Heh, gotcha," he said taking a bite from his treat. "I'll remember that for next time."

Next time… Thorn's heart did a little skip. So there were going to be more times? "You… want to do this again?" she asked guardedly.

"Sure, why not?" Axel said grinning at her. "After all, you and I are friends now."

Thorn felt something inside her twist and she suddenly took to staring out over the town. It had been a long time since she'd been called a friend by someone else and to hear it from someone who supposedly couldn't feel...it was oddly endearing.

"Thanks," she said after a moment of calming herself and sorting her thoughts. "I honestly did not believe that such a bond could be formed by people who adamantly state they have no hearts to feel with." She chuckled a little at this and looked back at him. "I was starting to think it impossible for NOBODIES to have friends."

"Well, you learn something new everyday," Axel returned. He didn't care for the crack about not having hearts, but did find how easily she blushed at him calling her friend to be amusing.

They spent the rest of the time talking about whatever little things came to mind until Axel was finished with his ice cream. Then the two returned to the castle to report to Saix. After relaying what all they learned to him, he seemed… maybe pleased?

"Good work," he told them both. "Axel, you're free for the rest of the day. As for you…" he turned to Thorn.

Here it comes, she thought.

"Vexen requires your assistance, immediately," he informed her.

"I figured," she sighed, shaking her head. "Well, see you later then." She waved goodbye to them before heading out of the room and down to the labs.

* * *

It didn't take her long to reach the labs where Vexen was eagerly awaiting her arrival, the giant chameleon like heartless lying strapped to a large table. Upon her arrival, the scientist wasted no time in getting her to sift through the numerous hearts that resided within it. It took an hour or two for her just to separate all the different hearts and make sure that while she didn't miss any, she also didn't duplicate any of them either. It was a very long and drawn out process involving identifying a heart and declaring what the essence of the person was as well as any other important information that was available.

By the time she finished with the final heart, her head was pounding and she desperately wanted some sleep. More importantly though, it seemed as if a pattern had arisen in which every heart inside of it had wanted to become invisible at one point or another in their lives. Some of them had simply been invisible to the world around them whether they wanted to be or not while the remainder simply wished they could disappear. She overheard Vexen speculating to himself that it was highly possible that a single similarity between each heart collected while it was in its early stages could possibly determine the type and power of the individual heartless.

"So the nature of the hearts determines the species?" Thorn inquired, actually finding herself invested for once.

"That is correct," Vexen answered. "Though I'd have expected you to be able to guess that much considering you're the one who can see them."

Thorn felt her cheeks burn. What did he expect? Until recently she'd done all she could NOT to see them. "And the more hearts they consume the more powerful they become," she continued ignoring his jab.

"Obviously," he said turning back to the chameleon heartless. "But some species are rare. It takes the right combination of hearts to create a breed such as this. It truly is an exquisite specimen."

"Right...well is that it?" she asked getting to her feet and stretching.

"For now," Vexen acknowledged going through his notes on the large heartless.

"However, I do expect you to be prepared to be called down here at any time. I'm working on something truly extraordinary that will change the way we NOBODIES view heartless."

"Of course," Thorn muttered not even listening. "I'm headed to bed then if you have nothing else to bother me with."

The scientist did not reply so she took it as an approved dismissal and left heading for a certain red head's room while removing her cloak.

Thorn was pleased to find the door was open and she quietly slipped inside. She folded up her cloak and set it on the floor before going over to the bed. The moment she eased her weight onto the mattress the inhabitant rolled over and stared up at her, eyes fully awake.

"Miss me already?" Axel joked. "We only saw each other, what… a few hours ago?"

"I couldn't sleep," Thorn lied. "Now shut up and move over."

Axel shifted his body enough to accommodate her and she laid down, her back facing him. Even though she'd spent nearly the whole day with him, she just didn't feel like sleeping alone. Not after everything she'd seen and learned.

She had just closed her eyes and allowed her breath to start slowing when she felt something wrap around her and pull her backwards against something solid.

"Here, allow me to make you more comfortable," Axel whispered in her ear as the arm around her mid-section tightened. "I'll keep you nice and warm. So just relax and sleep."

She could feel his breath on her neck and ear and felt the blood rise to her face rather quickly. "I didn't come in here for a snuggle fest," she muttered elbowing him in the side and scooting to the edge of the bed. "I just want to sleep."

Axel chuckled at the mixed display of embarrassment and irritation. "Why so shy? Since you're here you might as well get the full hospitality."

Sadly he couldn't see the expression that comment elicited. "No thanks, and I call sexual harassment," she declared.

He laughed again. "You lost your right to call anything the moment you set foot through that door."

"Aren't you always complaining about not getting enough sleep?" she asked him. "You'll get a lot more if you shut up and leave me alone."

"You can't really expect me to sleep without having a little fun when a pretty girl slips into my bed," Axel teased putting his hand on her side.

"That's exactly what I expect you to do," she muttered trying to ignore the weight on her side. "Why can't you just do that?"

He let out a final snigger before pulling away. "Alright, no need to get all hot under the collar. I was just messing with you." He turned over so that he was on his back and folded his hands beneath his head. "I still don't get why you're more comfortable sleeping with a stranger than in your own room."

"What happened to us being friends?" Thorn asked waspishly, clearly still riled.

"You were almost ready to sleep with Marluxia," Axel reminded, glancing over at her.

Thorn shifted a little. "I already told you, this is just what I'm used to. I don't like sleeping alone. It's too quiet. Too… empty."

Axel thought about the picture of the three guys, and he wondered if she used to do the very same thing with them. Must have been one crowded mattress. Granted, he and Saix had shared a bed before back in the old days, but only on rare occasions and usually only when it was necessary.

"Looks like I'll have to keep my door unlocked from now on," he commented out loud.

Thorn turned over so that she was looking at him. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, you're quiet enough and you don't move around that much, so I think I can deal with it," Axel told her with a smile. The more time they spent together, the faster she'd open up to him. That and… he found himself really not minding it at all.

Thorn's lips pressed together at this and she was silent for several moments. Axel waited for whatever it is she was preparing to say. "You're making it really hard for me to believe you don't have a heart," she said finally.

"If you don't believe it, have a listen," he replied tapping the left side of his chest.

Thorn paused for a moment as her curiosity got the better of her making her turn to face him and then scoot closer to him before lying her head across his chest. She listened for a moment with her eyes closed then whispered, "There really is nothing there."

Axel smiled at her words looking down at the girl tucked underneath his arm with her head on his chest and her right arm draped across him. "And I thought she wasn't into the whole snuggling thing," he thought watching her.

With her chest pressed against him, he could faintly feel it through his organization outfit. The steady thrumming of her heart. She may wear their cloak, but she wasn't one of them. She still had an existence.

"Hey, Thorn…" The girl lifted her head up so as to look at him. "Why did you come here?" He'd honestly been wondering for a while.

Thorn's eyes lowered, and it was a while before she answered. "Because I'm looking for something very precious to me, and I swore I'd find it, no matter what. Being here gives me the chance to do that. And it's not like I had anything else to lose."

"You're wrong," Axel said placing his hand right over her beating heart. "There is still this."

The thrumming pulsed against his hand, and Axel was filled with a faint sense of longing… and something else…

Thorn placed her hand on his for a moment. "I won't," she said before peeling it away. "I didn't come this far to lose now."

After that she slowly removed his hand and put her head back on his chest. The position she found was oddly comfortable. "Can we just...go to sleep now?" she asked slowly. "My head is pounding and I seriously need to let it rest."

"Sure, go to sleep," Axel told her as he rubbed her back with the arm she was on.

Thorn forced herself to relax, taking steady, even breaths. It took awhile, but once she got over the proximity, she was able to slip into a peaceful sleep.

"_Something precious,"_ Axel thought, as he began to doze off. _"Yeah… me too."_

* * *

CM: Hehe, Axel was being naughty. But he really seems to enjoy messing withpeople in general. Like we said, lots of Axel goodness and much more to come.


	12. Tool

CM: Before we start a small note of confusion was pointed out to us by jkls39 regarding Sora's age upon intruduction in the last chapter. We figured since it was in Traverse Town Sora's age would have been obvious, but we went ahead and fixed it. For those still confused, the previous chapter was eluding to when Sora lands in Traverse Town for the first time in the very first KH game. You can expect more of those subtle elude-tos in the future.

A thanks to ObsidianPhantom for the delightful review. We're glad to know we have the characters down and that our OC is likable.

And of course to FireWolfHeart who seems to becoming a regular. Not that we mind of course. ;)

* * *

**Chapter 12: Tool**

It was early in the morning and already Saix was not in the best of moods. He'd gone to the heartseer girl's bedroom to give her an assignment, only to find her missing. Rather than search the whole castle for her, or send the lesser Nobodies to search for him, he paid Zexion a visit in order to discover where she'd gone.

He was pleased to find she was still indeed in the castle, but when he found out who she was with…

Saix used the corrdiors of darkness to enter the room he was told she'd be, bypassing the door entirely. He'd abandoned his courtesy along with his emotions a long time ago.

Upon entering he saw to his surprise, Axel lying in his bed with Thorn lying on his chest. The two were still sleeping and it was clear that it was a mutual allowance. Saix was about to flip the light on, when he saw Axel open his eyes and grin at him before shifting enough so he could get to his feet without waking the heartseer.

"Morning, Saix, need the kid for something?" he asked in a low voice once he reached the door.

"Yes, it's time for the heartseer to go on another mission," Saix answered without showing any sign that he'd noticed how the two had been situated when he came in. "She is due in the briefing room in ten minutes."

"Alright, I'll get her up and ready," Axel promised, glancing over at the still sleeping girl.

"See to it," Saix said as he turned to leave. He paused, then added, "We'll talk later."

"Right, I look forward to it," Axel replied knowing exactly what they'd be talking about. "And by the way, my room does have a door," he added, pointing for emphasis.

Saix ignored him and left the way he came. Axel scratched at his head, wondering just how much, if at all, walking in on that had bothered him. The guy so rarely visited anymore Axel hadn't even believed Saix would ever catch him in such a position. Talk about awkward. And she'd slept right through it.

Figuring it would be better if he got her out there quickly, he went back to his bed and started gently shaking Thorn's shoulder. At first she simply nuzzled the pillow a bit before turning over but after a few more times of being shaken, she finally turned toward him and opened her eyes.

"What?" she demanded her voice cracking a bit from having just woken up. "I had a killer headache last night, just let me have five more minutes."

"Nope, sorry but Saix has a mission lined up for you," Axel told her ripping the blanket off of her. "He seems to be in a rather foul mood, probably because he couldn't find you until he came in here."

Thorn shot up after hearing this and looked at him in shock. "Saix...was in here? You mean he saw...me sleeping in here...with you?" she asked as she tried to keep the shock and embarrassment from showing on her face.

"Yep, and you slept right through that awkward moment," Axel replied with slight amusement. She seemed to have taken it a bit worse than he expected.

"Dammit… I can't believe this… crap," She muttered as she got out of bed and rushed over to where she'd left her cloak.

"What's got your cloak in a twist?" Axel asked half amused and… maybe half indignant?

"I don't want him to get the wrong idea," Thorn replied pulling her cloak on and zipping it up. If there was one guy she didn't want to piss off it was him. "What if he decides not to let me go on missions anymore?"

Axel shook his head. "He won't do that." Thorn looked at him and he could tell she still didn't have full confidence in him. He absentmindedly rolled his eyes. And things had been going so well. Man oh man. "Just leave it to me," he told her. "I'll set the record straight." Not like he'll give me a choice anyway, he thought to himself.

"Yeah, you do that," she said before leaving in a hurry.

Axel slowly inhaled before releasing a long sigh. It was gonna be a long week.

* * *

It didn't take long for Thorn to dash through the halls to the briefing room where she burst through the door before pausing to catch her breath. Once she felt she could breathe normally again, she straightened up and marched over to where Saix always stood. This time, however, she noticed that the pink haired man was standing next to him.

"So, you've got a mission for me?" she asked hoping not to show how awkward and embarrassed she felt speaking to him now.

"Yes, you will be going with Marluxia," Saix replied gesturing to the man beside him. "He will explain the details along the way. Now get moving."

Thorn nodded and followed the pink haired man through the now open portal without another word. She always felt that Saix didn't like her, but for some reason that feeling seemed to be intensified.

The world they stepped into was a very nature filled one. Lots of rocks, trees, grass and flowers. A pair of butterflies flitted by. In one direction looked to be a rocky area whereas in the other stood a dark and ominous looking forest.

"We'll be collecting items today," Marluxia informed her before she could ask. "The ones we are seeking come specifically from this world."

"Great, a scavenger hunt," Thorn said in mock delight. "What's on our list?"

"Just two things," he said. "A diamond and poison from a poison tree heartless."

"Well, considering there's a forest over there, it shouldn't be too hard to find a tree heartless," Thorn stated with a shrug. "Just find a tree that moves and has a pile of hearts inside it."

"Yes...and it will be so much easier with your help," he expressed sliding an arm over her shoulder. "We should probably get started, because that is a very large forest; but we may have a little time to relax once we've finished."

She could feel his breath on her ear and felt a shiver go down her spine. "Thanks, but no," she stated keeping herself in complete control...minus the bit of pink that appeared on her cheeks. "The sooner we start searching the sooner we can be finished."

Thorn then looked to the mountainous area. "On second thought, let's start there first," she decided. There are probably mines in that area, and if so we can snag a diamond no problem." Plus there appeared to be a nice beaten path which would make navigating a little easier. Thorn had never seen one before in her life, but she'd learned about them in school. She was excited by the prospect of something new.

Marluxia smiled and gestured with his arm. "Lead the way then."

As predicted the mountain path wasn't too hard to follow, and the heartless there were fairly weak. Marluxia didn't even bother pulling out his weapon, leaving Thorn to clear the way.

At last they reached an opening in the rock wall framed with sturdy wooden planks. As Thorn approached she could hear the sounds of metal chinking away at rock.

"It would seem that," Marluxia stated from behind, "the mine is already occupied."

"Does that really matter?" Thorn asked slipping inside.

"As long as they don't see us, their presence is about as important as the heartless we passed on the way up here."

She didn't wait for a reply from him but continued to move farther into the cave. It took almost no time for them to reach the back of the mine where six short older looking men could be seen hacking at the walls where glistening gems could be seen.

"Hmm...it seems that if we want a diamond, we'll simply have to wait for these little men to leave," Marluxia commented lightly.

"No we won't," Thorn whispered with a smirk. "Watch this."

She raised her hand and whispered "gravity" as the necklace she wore glowed a bit. Seconds later, one of the diamonds in a mine cart near the entrance rose into the air and started drifting toward the pair. The six men were still at work and did not notice the moving stone. Just as it reached them and Thorn gripped it in her hand, another small hand shot forward and grabbed it as well. She looked down to see a seventh little man with a green shirt that drowned him and a little purple pointed hat on his bald head.

"Let go," she hissed at the dwarf. She tried to tug the diamond away but he had a surprisingly strong grip. What was the deal? It was ONE diamond in an entire mountain after all. "I said, LET GO."

She gave a rough jerk and then twisted, sending the little man tumbling into a wheelbarrow. It teetered before falling on top of him with a clanging thud.

Thorn panicked, not just because she might have just injured the dwarf but also because his fellows had been alerted to the sounds. Not only that when she looked around Marluxia was gone from sight. She could either stay or bolt.

Thorn bit her lip and cursed her luck before rushing over to the metal thing and pushing it off the midget. "You okay?" she asked him.

The dwarf reeled for a minute in a seated position until he shook his head and jumped up to his feet. Then he turned to face her, balling his hands into fists and moving them in a circle while he danced back and forth.

"I'll take that as a yes," she sighed glad he hadn't been hurt. She ignored his obvious call for a fight and was turning to leave with her prize when the others appeared and ran up to the dancing one. "Wh-uh...what d-uh..wh..wh...what happened?" one who was plump and wore glasses stuttered.

"She's a thief that's what happened," one wearing red and brown with a squinting look in his eye declared. The one she threw stopped and nodded his head vigorously.

'_This is what I get for being too damn nice,'_ Thorn thought bitterly. "Okay, I admit it," she confessed. "I came here looking for a diamond, I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"Well that's where you're wrong," the grumpy looking dwarf stated. "This here's our mine, and our diamonds. And I bet you had something to do with kidnapping the princes didn't ya?"

"Look, I don't know anything about that," Thorn said shaking her head. "I just need a diamond. ONE diamond," she emphasized by holding up a single finger.

"Ain't gonna happen," he spat. "Now git!"

"I'll even work for it if that's what it will take to make you happy," Thorn offered, really not wanted to resort to force with these little guys. She just felt that would be in bad taste.

"Can you bite… er fight?" the one in glasses asked her.

"Absolutely," she said with hesitation.

The bespectacled one called for a huddle, occasionally popping their heads out to glance over at her.

After a minute or two of this, they broke apart and the one with glasses approached her. "Then we'll let you save...have that if you would bite...uh sight..."

"Fight that poison monster!" the angry looking one cut in.

"Yes, fight the monster," the assumed leader agreed. "It's in the chorus... uh, forest."

"It's really hard to get home with that around," one added sounding like his nose was stuffed up.

"It'd make us really happy if you'd help us out," another spoke up with a big grin on his face.

Well how lucky was that? It lined up perfectly with her assigned mission. "Alright, I'll do it," she agreed. "Just sit tight and I'll be right back."

A scoff came from the grumpy one but she ignored it and left the cave finding Marluxia waiting outside. "Thanks for leaving me high and dry in there," Thorn muttered.

"I was confident you could handle yourself," Marluxia stated with a polite smile. "My leaving you was merely a mark of my trust."

"Yeah, okay," Thorn said not believing a word of it. This guy must be the top graduate from the Academy of BS. "We're gonna have to go find that tree thing first after all." She opened a portal that would take them back to where they first arrived. She really didn't feel like hiking there and back again.

* * *

It didn't take long to find the poison tree heartless and even less time to take it out. Turns out Marluxia was a pretty decent fighter and the enemy was weak against fire magic.

"That was excellent," Marluxia told Thorn once he'd finished delivering the finishing blow to the giant tree foe. "You handled yourself quite splendidly."

"Thanks," Thorn said looking down at the jar in her hands. Filling it with poison without getting poisoned herself had been a pain, but it was almost worth it to watch Marluxia fight. He may look pretty, but his skills with a scythe were nothing to sneeze at. "Well, let's hurry back to the mines and grab our diamond." The jar full of toxin hopefully would be enough proof to them she'd done her job.

"You seem to be fitting into the fold rather nicely," Marluxia commented as they traveled.

"Thanks," she said not really knowing what else to say.

"And I trust you've been finding your stay enlightening?" he asked.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Thorn stated.

"Are you saying you've invested yourself in an organization without knowing anything, not even what its goal is?" Marluxia stated in mild surprise. "I believed the reason you sought us out, was because you wished to know more about us."

"It's not like I haven't ask," Thorn replied a little miffed. "Not many people seem too inclined to share."

"Perhaps you haven't been asking the right people," Marluxia stated pleasantly with a smile. "Though I suppose it's not surprising the other members are reluctant to share anything with you. After all, you were brought here as a tool for organization."

The word 'tool' struck a chord inside the goth girl. Granted it wasn't the first time she'd heard it and she had suspected all along this was the case but, hearing it stung her more than she would have ever anticipated. Especially at this point when she'd thought she'd been making friends. Did Demyx see her as a tool? Did Axel? She had no way of knowing.

"I'm sure not everyone sees it that way," Marluxia continued smoothly. "I know I certainly don't. You are far too talented to be called something so belittling." He paused when they reached the mouth of the mine."I will wait here for you to return with the diamond. Don't let the little ones become too much of a hassle."

Thorn shot him a look before she went inside and found the seven little men still inside hard at work. "Good news, guys," she announced, her voice reverberating off the walls. It had the desired effect. They all paused in their work to gather around her "The tree monster's gone. You can travel safely now."

"Heh," the angry one scoffed. "Easy enough to say it. Got any proof?"

"Actually, yes," she said holding up a jar fully of the purplish liquid. "If you've run into that thing before then this should look very familiar."

"It's the boison...the poison," the glasses wearing one exclaimed.

"Gosh...you really did it," one said twisting his beard in his hands. The little one next to him that didn't seem to ever talk started dancing around excitedly.

"Peh...just watch. She's in league with that monster and it gave her that stuff," the angry looking one muttered.

"I believe you," the happy looking one said coming up to her with a single diamond. "Here ya go...like we promised."

Thorn gratefully took it from him. "Thanks… and sorry… about not asking in the first place," she apologized sheepishly.

"Aw, that's okay," he told her. "At least you did right in the end."

"Yes, you did bright… er right," the glasses one stated.

Again another scoff from the grumpy one, but the rest seemed pleased with her, even the dopey one who she'd dropped a wheelbarrow on.

"Right, "she said feeling awkward. "Well, good luck finding your lost princess." She left quickly, making sure to wipe their memories of her as she did so, the sappiness of it all becoming too much for her.

* * *

As Axel exited the portal after a very long and drawn out mission, he noticed that the briefing room was empty save for Saix. "So, am I the first on back?" he asked stepping up to his blue haired friend.

"No, you're the very last," he answered calmly. "The heartseer returned with Marluxia over an hour ago."

Axel nodded feeling rather tired and was about to leave when he noticed the look Saix was giving him. "Are you going to explain?" Saix demanded.

The red head scratched his head. "There's really not much to explain."

"What I saw speaks otherwise," Saix replied crossing his arms.

Axel really didn't want to talk about this, but he felt he should at least put Saix's mind at ease. "Vexen asked me to get some info from her, so I figured it couldn't hurt to be friendly."

"So you invited her to your bed," Saix inferred, the smallest hint of derision in his voice. "How accommodating of you."

"Hey, don't make me out to be a bad guy here," Axel told him. "She came on her own. I just let her stay." At the questioning look Saix gave him, he explained. "Apparently she doesn't like sleeping alone. Creeps her out or something." Then with a smile he added, "She probably would have gone to you if you smiled once in a while."

"I wouldn't allow her to remain," Saix stated sternly.

"Right," Axel muttered. "Well she did attempt to sleep with Demyx, Zexion and even Marluxia. So her ending up with me was just because she didn't like the other choices as much." Saix raised an eyebrow at this. "Look she finds it more comfortable and only ever wants to sleep. Heck I teased her a bit last night and she got all flustered. Anything more than that and she'd leave. Plus the more she trusts me the more she tells me."

"Very well," Saix said looking somewhat more at ease. "Just know not to get any closer than necessary."

"What?" Axel said with a playful grin. "You're not getting jealous, are ya, buddy?"

Saix closed his eyes and the red head knew he was repressing a smile. "Remember what I said," he told him.

Axel chuckled. "Yeah, will do," he said before leaving. He really wished Saix would lighten up, at least once in a while.

* * *

CM: I gotta say, I enjoy writing stuff with Axel and Saix. It's so much fun because they're like the Reno and Rude of KH. Anyway, join us next chapter. See you then. :)


	13. Friends?

CM: Thanks to all of you who favorited this story. :)

**Chapter 13: Friends?**

A week passed and Axel found he was having a hard time pinning Thorn down. It seemed either she was busy in the lab, on a mission with someone else, or hanging out with Demyx or Zexion. Hell, he was sure at one point he saw her come from Marluxia's room. By the end of the week Axel had a nagging feeling she was avoiding him, and for some reason it bothered him. It didn't help when Vexen started to complain.

"What's taking so long?" Vexen demanded.

"I already told you it was gonna take time," Axel muttered. "We're both busy and our schedules don't exactly overlap."

"As always I have to do everything," Vexen grumbled. "Very well, I'll arrange an extended mission for you both starting tomorrow. I trust that should speed up your progress?"

"We'll just have to wait and see," Axel said cheekily before leaving.

He thought about going to his room but instead decided to chill in the briefing room for a while. When he got there he was surprised to find Thorn engaged with Luxord in a chess game.

"Knight takes pawn," Luxord murmured as he moved his piece to the right spot and removed the opposing piece.

"Bishop curses Knight," Thorn declared moving her own piece and knocking his over.

"Rook takes Bishop," Luxord continued.

"Queen cuts Rook in half."

"Bishop takes Knight."

"Pawn emasculates Bishop."

"Wow, this had to be the strangest game of chess I've ever seen," Axel thought watching the two go at it and hearing Thorn's explanations over each kill. "Is describing how each opposing piece gets defeated necessary?"

He moved over to the edge of the couch and simply watched the game continue seemingly unnoticed by either player.

The game went on in this manner with most of the major pieces on both sides getting taken, then Thorn managing to upgrade her leftover pawns. Each one had its own story: Pawn discovers she's the late queen's long lost sister and ascends the throne, or pawn discovers he's descended from noble blood and is raised to knighthood. In the end she managed to regain her major pieces and back Luxord into a corner.

"And with this, my queen imprisons your king for eternity, "she stated in triumph. "Checkmate."

Luxord gave out a small laugh. "Good show. I see you know how to play the game. Sacrifice for victory."

"Next time, try not to go so easy on me," she replied with a smile.

"I'll remember that," Luxord replied in amusement. "Now I'd better go. I have my own assignment to finish."

"Alright," Thorn murmured offering a smile to the gamer. "Good luck."

"Luck is a part of every game, good or bad," he replied with his own smile. "The amount of each you get can determine the game's outcome. But there is no way to control which you will receive."

With that he left through the portal he opened and she sighed. Now what was she supposed to do to ease her boredom? She glanced around the mostly empty room and spotted Axel before casually getting to her feet and heading for the door.

"I should probably get some sleep if I'm this bored," she thought trying to dismiss the knowledge that the red head was there.

When Axel saw this his suspicions had all but been confirmed and that sense of irritation returned. Well, he wasn't about to force his company on her. There wasn't a need to.

"Be sure to get plenty of rest," Axel called after her. "We got a mission lined up first thing tomorrow, and we probably won't be coming back for a while."

Thorn stopped at the words, 'we got a mission.' WE, as in him and her. She turned to look at him, and she was filled with a sense of dread. By his expression he wasn't all too happy about it either. Not that she could blame him.

The talk she'd had with Marluxia during her mission with him was still grating on her.

"_You were brought here as a tool for organization." _

What had bothered her most about the conversation was the implication that the people she'd been getting closer to also only saw her as a tool. Axel especially. Perhaps that was the reason he'd been so keen on getting to know all about her past...was because they could use the information somehow. She felt as if she was simply on display for them to pick apart and use as they saw fit.

Thorn wanted to believe that assumption was wrong and that she was something more to him, but remembered what he'd said before about bonding with others. They can't because they have no heart. After a few minutes of staring at him, she caught on to what she was doing and simply nodded before walking through the door. After that tense encounter she needed to either vent or forget. She needed to find Demyx.

Axel wasn't sure what to make of the expression she gave him before leaving. One thing was clear though, something was eating her. Something to do with him. As he sat there alone, he wondered what could have possibly happened to send all his previous work out the window.

* * *

"Hey, Demyx," Thorn said when he answered the door. "Could I hang out here for a bit?"

"Of course," Demyx said without hesitation pulling the door open wide so she could come in. He always seemed excited to have her there. "I've been practicing the melody for that song you taught me the other day. Wanna give it a go?"

Thorn smiled a little and she nodded. "Sure, let's do it."

Demyx sat down on his bed, taking up his instrument and he began to play a steady melody. Thorn remained standing, waiting until the intro was over. Then she began to sing.

"_I don't believe__  
__In the smile that you leave_  
_When you walk away_  
_And say goodbye._  
_Well I don't expect_  
_The world to move underneath me_  
_But for God's sake_  
_Could you try?_  
_I know that you're true to me_  
_You're always there_  
_You say you care_  
_I know that you want to be mine."_

Thorn had sung this song only two days ago and Demyx had the notes down almost perfectly. He probably didn't understand the significance of the song, why she had been driven to sing it that day. It was a musical interpretation of her current confliction. She let out her frustrations into the chorus.

_"Where is your heart?__  
__'Cause I don't really feel you_  
_Where is your heart?_  
_What I really want is to believe you_  
_Is it so hard_  
_To give me what I need?_  
_I want your heart to bleed_  
_That's all I'm asking for_  
_Oh, where is your heart?"_

Thorn stopped there and smiled at Demyx. "You're really good, you know that?"

"Thanks, I practice all the time so I should be at least somewhat good," he replied strumming a few bars. "Your voice is really nice though. You really should sing more often. Heck you may even make Lexeaus comment on it if you let him hear it."

"Thanks...but this is something I'd rather not get around if I can help it," she told him casually. "It's better if I just keep it to these small moments."

"Okay...but hey, would you like sing something I wrote?" he asked curiously trying to hide his excitement.

Thorn nodded. "Yeah, of course,"

Demyx rummaged around under his bed until he pulled out a few pages with words written on them. "Here are the lyrics, and I'll teach you the melody."

"Alright," she said taking the pages from him. As he got settled back down she asked, "Demyx…" Thorn hesitated, feeling really embarrassed by her next words. "Would you say we were… friends?"

The musician looked at her, his face going suddenly dead serious. She was rather taken aback by the drastic change.

"Well, now," he said soberly. "That's a big fat DUH." And the grin was back on in full. "Come on, how can we NOT be friends?"

"Well I wasn't sure," Thorn mumbled running her fingers through her hair. "I was told that… Nobodies couldn't feel or bond and… stuff."

"Yeah, a lot of the geezers keep saying that," Demyx said with a short laugh. "But I don't believe it for a second. I mean, hey, we're people too. We just happen to be missing something."

"Yeah, yeah you are," she agreed smiling lightly. Then she focused on the page in front of her reading over the words and taking in what she felt it was supposed to feel like. "Okay, so what's the melody?"

Demyx grinned wider and began playing a simple easy tune which she hummed to. "You got it?" he asked.

"Yeah, I've got it," she replied with a nod.

Demyx started the song over starting with the melody again as she started to sing the words until he felt she was doing well enough and then he went into his own harmonic part. He loved listening to her sing and having his own song come through her voice just made it that much better.

* * *

The next morning Thorn wasn't in the greatest of moods. She'd had difficulty sleeping last night and ended up sleeping in. Axel had been the one to come get her out of bed. He came in, ripped off her covers and pillows and told her if she wasn't down in ten minutes he was torching the bed next. Then left. She cursed him the whole way down.

Once she arrived, Saix informed them of their mission. "Vexen wishes for you to locate and capture a heartless similar to the one you discovered with Larxene. You have one week," Saix told them. "If you haven't completed your task by then, you are to forgo the mission. Are we clear?"

"As a bell, "Axel replied with a light grin.

"Crystal," Thorn answered easily.

"Time to get going then," Axel stated summoning a portal and motioning for Thorn to go first.

She did so but refused to meet his eyes and Axel shook his head as he followed her through. He could tell it was going to be a very long mission...and chances didn't seem good that he'd be able to repair what was damaged.

They began the search in a world where there was nothing but wilderness. No people, just animals ready to take a chunk out of any prey they spotted. The savanna itself was practically endless. The entire day was spent fighting heartless avoiding predators, and Thorn keeping her eyes peeled for their target. They didn't talk much the entire day. Occasionally Axel would make a crack, and at first Thorn would either give a sharp retort or ignore it completely, but a few times late in the day she found herself laughing a couple of times.

He was an amazing fighter, and she loved watching him. Sometimes she'd get distracted by it, renewing her frustration. But she couldn't' help herself. There was no wasted movement from him. He was lethal grace and power wrapped in one.

"You're gonna make me blush if you keep staring like that," He commented at one point.

Her eyes widened when she realized he'd caught her and she quickly looked away to her own opponent. "I wasn't staring," she declared easily destroying the heartless before her. "I just happened to be looking in that direction. I was examining the heartless you were fighting." She could feel her cheeks burn at this but she ignored it and continued to blast heartless left and right with whatever spell came to mind.

"Your blush says otherwise," Axel chuckled as he destroyed the final one.

Her cheeks darkened in color at this and she immediately took a deep breath forcing herself to return to a normal appearance. "What blush?" she asked continuing to scour the area for any sign of her target. "You must really enjoy seeing things that don't exist if it helps you tease someone."

"Just making friendly conversation," he stated putting his weapons away. "Any sign of our target?"

"No," she replied once she'd done a 360 degree scan of the area.

"Well, it's getting late," he commented noticing the low position the sun was in. "It won't be safe to camp out here. Let's head towards that jungle area."

By the time they reached it, it was dark. They made camp near the edge where the foliage wasn't quite so thick. Thorn found some fruit to snack on as well as a river to drink from so as not to exhaust the supplies she'd brought with her. Axel may not need food or water to survive but she sure as hell did.

When night fell the entire place went from blaringly hot to numbingly cold. Axel easily made a fire in order to help with this. Once there were all set up, Thorn sat next to the fire, slowly munching on her food watching the flames, while Axel sat on the opposite side watching her.

"So, I haven't seen you for the past week," he commented as she continued eating. "What have you been up to? Still enjoying yourself?"

"Yeah, Demyx is very entertaining," she answered without looking at him. She really didn't feel like talking to him at that moment and this desire only increased when he continued to try for a conversation.

"So, you've been hanging out with Demyx," he repeated slowly. It felt like try to drag the heart out of a stubborn heartless. Down near impossible. "You sleeping alright? You look like you've had a couple of hard nights."

"I'm just fine, I can function on only a few hours if need be," she replied harshly hoping it would end it.

Feeling he was getting nowhere, he just decided to cut right to the chase. "So is there a reason you've been avoiding me?"

"I haven't," she replied mechanically.

"Yeah you have," Axel insisted. "And I want to know what I did to piss you off."

"You didn't do anything," she asserted. "And I'm not mad but I'm quickly getting there."

"Right, that would be amusing to see," Axel grumbled. "No matter what kind of crap you had to put up with from Larxene or any of the other members you've never once been angry. Suddenly I'm asking you about avoiding me and you're just now getting ticked off. Bull."

Thorn felt pressure rising inside of her but before she opened her mouth to retort she noticed the fire flickering unnaturally. Then she took a few calming breaths. "I have to vent to keep from going off on them," she managed to get out calmly. "At the moment I'm not able to do so and so I'm really getting ticked off."

"Maybe you wouldn't be getting so angry if you'd just be straight with me," Axel pointed out, not letting up. "First you invade my privacy and suddenly now you won't even look me in the eye. I can tell just by looking at you you're emotional mess."

That did it. "And what about you, Mr. I-don't-feel-anything-cuz-I-don't-have-a-heart-to-feel-with?" Thorn shot back at him. "Why are you so damn concerned about me? And don't say it's because we're friends when before that you said you couldn't have connections with other people."

Axel's eyes narrowed and suddenly the fire sprang up 15 feet into the air, making Thorn jump back in surprise from the assaulting heat. She didn't care what he said from there on, that was anger flaring in those vivid green eyes. The red head's eyes closed and with a calming inhale the flames died back down to their normal size.

He stood up and walked away muttering, "Forget it. I'm going to bed."

As Axel lay down on his sleeping spot, he pondered on what just happened. Man… he couldn't even remember the last time he'd lost it like that. Surely not since he'd lost his heart. But what she'd said had bothered him. He may have meant what he said when he told her Nobodies couldn't truly feel emotions, but he had also meant it when he'd said they were friends. Or at least… he legitimately thought they could be, but now that didn't seem to be the case at all.

Thorn watched him walk away and felt something jerk through her stomach that swelled into a feeling of guilt and misery. She ignored it, however, and laid down facing away from him. It didn't matter any more...a friendship no longer existed for them.

* * *

CM: Well damn... things never seem to go as smoothly as you want them to. So with a whole week ahead of them, will they settle their differences or will the rift just get even bigger? Find out next chapter... maybe!

Disclaimer: The song used in this chapter is Where is Your Heart by Kelly Clarkson, which we do not own.


	14. Oh Snow

CM: A thanks to Krajesh for the kind review. :)

**Chapter 14: Oh Snow**

The next morning it was clear just how bad relations had gotten. Axel didn't even greet her when she woke up but instead just motioned for her to follow him. She groaned knowing that meant he wasn't going to talk to her for awhile. "Man, this mission just got a whole lot worse," she thought in annoyance. "I hope we find that heartless quick or this mission is going to become unbearable."

They traveled around the forest, checked over the savanna again and then traversed over to a large mountain with wide passes running all the way through it. At one end they discovered what looked like a shelter made entirely of what looked like an elephant skull; tusks and all.

By late afternoon, they'd covered just about every area and hadn't found a trace of what they were looking for. Which meant they needed to move on to a new world. Thank goodness, Thorn thought. She was tired. Once again, she had a poor night of sleep, and the relentless hordes of heartless came one after the other. Between fighting them and checking the hearts they held, she was taxed.

"So where to next?" she asked Axel.

He didn't answered but instead opened a portal and gestured for her to get in. The silent treatment? Really? What are we, four? All this she wanted to say out loud but she bit her tongue. No sense making things worse. Still….she didn't like him not talking to her.

When they left the portal, they came out into a place filled with bamboo trees, grassy planes and rivers with intricate bridges stretching across them. "Wow...this place is kind of cool. Don't you think so?" Thorn asked wanting to seriously break up the silence. Not surprising he didn't reply and started leading the way towards a snow covered mountain. "Heh, sure your heat won't cause an avalanche?" she asked following his lead.

Again he ignored her. No matter what she tried, comment, questions, concerns, he didn't respond to any of it, and finally she just gave up. If she could she would have just left him, but without him she couldn't travel in between worlds and she didn't want to be stranded. Still, with all the silence, she may as well be alone.

By nightfall, they managed to make it to the base mountain area where they found a decent sized cave to sleep in. Thorn got a fire started since Axel didn't seem in the mood to do so himself. A wind began to blow outside, and Thorn used a gravity spell to move some rocks around the mouth to block out the wind but keep it to where the smoke from the fire would still be able to filter out. And then cold rain began to fall making the air even more chilled.

"Oh nature," Thorn thought as she sat close to the fire in order to keep warm. "Thou art a heartless wench."

The goth glanced over to Axel who had already claimed a corner of the cave to curl up in for the night. With his back turned to her she couldn't tell if he was sleeping or not.

She focused on the fire in front of her and rubbed her hands and arms to keep the blood flowing. Not a sound could be heard through the cave besides the howl of the wind outside, the falling rain and the crackling fire. Thorn could feel herself growing colder by the second despite all her efforts to stay warm and knew it wasn't brought on because of their surroundings.

"Ugh FINE!" she exclaimed getting to her feet and glaring at the red head lying still on the ground. "I can't take this silence any more. Look yes I was avoiding you...but no it did not have to do with me being upset at you. Just, quit with the silent treatment already. Jeez."

At first nothing happened, not so much as a stir. Then after a few moments Axel turned over so that he was facing her, wide awake. "Not so nice being ignored is it?" he said before sitting up. "Now are you ready to talk?"

"About what?" Thorn asked trying not to sound irritable.

"Let's start with WHY you were avoiding me," Axel proposed.

"Come on, can't you just be satisfied with the fact that I admitted you were right and move on?" Thorn groaned.

"Well, I could," he admitted before smiling a little. "But I have to admit I enjoy watching you squirm."

Thorn nearly recoiled. "You're… incredibly sadistic." So why was she slightly turned on by that fact?

"Heh, maybe," he said with a small laugh. "Now spill it, unless you want the rest of this trip to continue in silence."

She sighed heavily, her irritation becoming more and more obvious. "Alright, so the day I went on my mission with Marluxia...well, we got to talking and..."

'Oh, boy, I can already see where this is going,' he thought now finding the situation more amusing. Then he asked out loud, "So, what did he say to you?"

"He just answered a couple questions," Thorn replied hoping that would be enough...it wasn't. "He told me that the reason I was brought in was to be used as a tool. It wasn't really all that surprising but it did kind of hurt to hear it." Axel gave her this look as if asking if that was it and she sighed again. "Then he said that that's all anyone here was seeing me as." She left it at that feeling that she really didn't want to admit she was worried he felt that way too. She also decided to leave out the fact that Marluxia had assured her he thought of her as something more. The idea gave her the creeps and she didn't want to voice it.

Axel thought over all of this. He was definitely going to need to do something about Marluxia. The guy seemed to enjoy stirring up trouble for the sake of boredom. Now he believed he understood the reason why she'd been avoiding him. She thought, or at least, suspected, he saw her that way too, as a tool.

"You really shouldn't believe everything Marluxia tells you," Axel told her finally. "He may have a pretty face but he's really not as nice as he puts out."

"Yeah, I kind of suspected that much," Thorn mumbled rubbing her arms. "But it's not as if it's completely untrue either, right?"

Axel sighed and shook his head. "Well I won't lie, there probably are at lest two or three members of the organization who think that. But you want me to let you in on a little secret?" he asked getting her attention. "I really couldn't care less about what other people think. I stand by what I said before."

Thorn fought the urge to smile. "And what was that?"

"That to me you're a friend," Axel answered with a grin.

Thorn's face remained passive as she slowly turned away from him at that. He could hear her taking a few deep breaths and noticed that before her face completely disappeared from view her cheeks were turning red. He'd nailed it.

"Thank you...I suppose that's good to know," she replied after she managed to turn back to face him, face completely back to normal.

Axel grinned knowing exactly what had just happened and feeling rather proud of himself. He yawned, stretched, and then lay back onto the floor with his hands behind his head. "Well, it's late and we have a lot to do tomorrow so, goodnight," he said the slightest hint of triumph in his voice.

"Night," Thorn replied taking to bed in a spot close to the dying fire.

Even though it was still chilly in the cave, she felt warm inside. She closed her eyes and slept a little more peacefully that night.

* * *

The next day, both Axel and Thorn would agree the time spent was far more enjoyable than the first two. Things were more relaxed and they were able to talk casually without tension or strain. They began their search in the more green areas before working their way up the mountain where snow had fallen. The higher they went the thicker and deeper the stuff got. The slightest breeze was a sting on Thorn's cheeks and she had to pull up her hood to keep her ears from freezing off. She felt the slightest bit resentful towards her red headed companion who seemed completely unfazed by the frigid terrain.

"What are you, ice proof?" she demanded.

"Far from it," Axel replied with a laugh. "But I wield fire so I can keep the colder elements at bay."

"That so?" Thorn suddenly got a wicked idea. While Axel wasn't looking, she gathered up a bit of snow and pressed it between her hands. Then she casually meandered up next to him.

"What's up?" he asked noticing she was acting funny.

"Nothing," she said reaching up. "Just thought I'd give you a present."

He raised an eyebrow in confusion until she dropped the packed bit of ice down the back of his cloak. The moment it hit his skin he jumped three feet in the air. It took awhile for him to get it out of his cloak and when he finally did he turned toward his assailant to find her with a hand covering her mouth as her entire body shook. Her eyes were dancing with amusement as she tried with all her might not to fall over. "You should have seen your face!" she exclaimed unable to hold it in any longer. "I've never seen anyone jump so high. So much for keeping the cold at bay."

"Oh, so that how it's gonna be, huh?" Axel said getting a wicked grin on his face. She turned to run, but he was quick and he caught her. He easily hoisted her up onto his shoulder, kicking and shouting, before walking over and dropping her into a big pile of snow.

She squealed as the snow crept into the openings of her cloak and she jumped up trying to brush the stuff off. "You jerk," she shouted with a laugh before picking up some snow and throwing it at his head with superb accuracy.

He dodged the shot and threw one of his own nailing her right in the face. The impact made her fall back into the snow and she quickly jumped back onto her feet to avoid the cold melting into her clothes again.

"Okay, truce," she said holding up her hands. She had been cold to start with and now she was freezing. She really didn't want to risk getting any colder out there.

Axel held off on the snow ball he was about to chuck and approached her with another triumphant smile on his face. She rolled her eyes trying not to show her shame at giving up, when something caught her eye at the top of the mountain. She stared at the shape for a moment unsure of what it could be until she noticed the tell tale sign of a heart. It was a heartless. She turned to alert Axel to its presence when the thing began to jump up and down. From all the way down the mountain, Thorn could feel the vibrations and in moments an enormous amount of snow was dislodged from the top.

Thorn had never experienced one before, not where she lived. You never got stuff like this in the big cities. However liked most things, she'd read about it. The thunderous noise and the grow rumble that signaled death and disaster approaching: An avalanche.

"We need to get out of here," Axel told her as he too recognized the danger they were in.

Thorn was just about to agree with him when she spotted something down below them. A number of meters away down the mountainside were a caravan of travelers. Several men women, and a few children traveling with their horse pulled supply carriages. They didn't even realize the danger they were in.

"W-we have to help," she muttered turning back toward the careening wave of snow. "I can stop it long enough...just long enough." With that she dashed toward it a few feet ignoring Axel's voice and held up her hands. She took a few breaths to calm her nerves as she gathered her magical energy then all at once released it. "Stop!" she called making the avalanche slow to a stop a couple hundred feet from her.

"Thorn what are you doing?" Axel demanded. He could see her holding it still and had to marvel at the amount of power she held. But he could also see that her arms were shaking with the effort of holding it in place. She wouldn't be able to keep it there for long.

Axel debated on just grabbing her and pulling her out of there by force, but he knew if he did the people below would be buried. She would hate him for that. Cursing their luck, the Nobody teleported behind the caravan while staying out of sight.

"Avalanche!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.

It did the trick. The people at last seemed to notice the snow coming after them. The only thing keeping them from harm was Thorn who was forced to hold back more and more as it kept rolling down the mountain. The people driving the carriages snapped the horses' reins to urge the, forward while those who remained on foot ran for it.

Axel watched the group hurry as fast as they could, willing them to go faster. His eyes continually flicking up to make sure Thorn was still in sight. He prepared a portal that would take him directly to her the instant they were out of harm's way hoping she'd last long enough to do so.

Meanwhile, Thorn's arms were beginning to shake from the strain of holding up the large amount of weight that continued to grow with each passing moment. Her feet were beginning to slide in the snow pushing her slightly down the slope as there was nothing firm for her to get the good footing she needed. Her breath was starting to come in gasps and she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it for much longer. Wanting to know if the people she'd seen were out of the way yet, she slowly turned her head to look down the mountain. They were almost there. She sighed in relief only to start focusing even more as snow started to slip from her spell and drip onto her clothing, hair and into her face making her task all the more difficult.

The world tuned out, the rumbling of the sound was muffled out, and black spots began popping up in her vision of white. She blinked and shook her head trying to be rid of them. Thorn held on for as long as she could, trying to stay conscious. She wondered if everyone made it, as she slipped away. The last thing she felt was being buried by cold.

* * *

CM: Oh noes! Sorry to end it on that note, but we felt this was the best stopping spot for it. Hope you enjoyed and stay tuned for the next to see if Thorn survives.


	15. Warm

CM: Ello all. Um, not really much to say here. So... enjoy the chapter!

**Chapter 15: Warm**

Axel saw her fall and made the jump. She'd just been hit by the first wave when and she disappeared under the snow. Axel used his fire to blast at the charging snow. Reaching down where he saw her vanish, he made a lucky grab of her arm and pulled her up as the rest was coming down. Opening a portal, he jumped with her and escaped the deadly frozen flood.

When Axel at last had a chance to set her down he noticed her skin had turned a pale blue color. Her clothes and hair were soaked with melted frozen water. He brought one of her hands to his cheek and it was like pressing a popsicle against his face. He needed to get her warm and fast.

Reaching the cave they had stopped in before, he set up a quick fire getting her as close to it as he dared. It wasn't enough, he knew it wasn't enough. The ground and the air around them was too cold and with her clothes soaked it would only lower her body temperature faster. Making up his mind, he went through his portal once more returning moments later with a few blankets he'd taken from someone's home. He needed them much more than they did. Then he removed her soaking wet cloak and wrapped her in the blankets using his own lap as a pillow and then waited. He could hear her still breathing but her eyes were closed and she wasn't moving.

"Jeeze, how much trouble can one girl cause just by trying to be the hero?" he muttered out loud scratching his head.

His sense of concern began to grow when she continued to be still. The lack of shivering at this point was a bad sign. Deciding to ease her along a little more, Axel place a hand over the blanket where her stomach would be and began feeding small waves of heat into it. He made sure not to do too much. He vaguely remembered from his times as a kid that going from cold to warm too quickly was dangerous. After a few minutes her eyes shot open with a gasp and her body began to rack with shivers. Her breath came in and out in quick succession and her body tense up as it attempted to regain its normal temperature.

Axel let out a breath of relief. "You had me worried there for a while," he said with a faint smile. "Don't know what I'd have done if I let you kill yourself out of stupidity." He gave a soft laugh. "Sometimes it's easy to forget how fragile you are."

Thorn's eyes glare up at him "Sh… sh-sh-shu…" She was trying to work her mouth but the amount her body was shaking made it difficult.

"Huh, what's that?" he asked leaning closer.

"Sh… shu…Shut… u…up-p-p," she stammered out.

"A retort," he murmured. "That's definitely a good sign." He continued to feed in the heat slowly and watched her face slowly regain a bit of color. "You know you owe me for this right?"

"I-I didn't a-ask for h-help," she stuttered finding words a little easier now that her body was actually feeling again. "I-I'm j-just f-fine."

"No you're not," he told her shaking his head. "And without my heat coursing into you you'd be frozen by now."

Thorn didn't reply to this but instead focused on trying to warm herself up. Her make-up was terribly smudged, and Axel decided to patronize her further by attempting to clean it off with one of the blankets.

"W-Would y-you quit it!" she snapped irritably moving her face away from his hand.

"Not my fault it's so hard to get off," Axel muttered. "I'm surprised it hasn't already washed away."

"J-just l-leave it," she muttered, pulling one of her arms free and smacking his hand away.

The Nobody released another sigh, and gave up, deciding to leave it for later. "What made you do it?" he asked her. "Those people will never know who you are. Why go out of your way to save them?"

The girl closed her eyes and for a while Axel didn't thik she was going to answer. Finally she said, "I just saw them and thought, 'that would just be a sucky way to die, by snow'."

"So you saved them...because the death they might have suffered would be by snow..." Axel repeated in confusion. "That's really your reason?"

"Well...that and...I know what's it's like to lose someone. I know what it's like to be the one that made it," she added grudgingly. "I didn't want to subject anyone else to that if I had the ability to stop it." She looked towards the fire as a thought struck her. "So, did they make it okay?"

Axel sighed. He wasn't sure what to make of this girl. She always seemed as if she'd do what she wanted and keep herself out of death's door to accomplish her goal. Then she went and did something like this to spare a group of strangers from the same pain of loss she experienced.

"They're just fine...you should be worrying about yourself right now though," he answered after a moment's pause. "What'll happen with your goal if you don't make it out alive?"

"Don't worry about me," she said with a smile. The shivering had mostly subsided, and she only trembled once every few seconds. "This is nothing. I'll be up and ready to go in no time." Her breathing even out and she closed her eyes again. "I'm just gonna…. Take a short nap. Then we can… get back to work."

Within minutes she was asleep and Axel moved her off of him so he could let her rest, hoping what she said was true. Axel left the cave now and then but made sure not to go very far or for too long. The afternoon shifted into evening and when Axel came back from his seventh leave, Thorn was up and moving around. Except it was immediately evident she was not in top shape. Her movements were sluggish, her gaze was unfocused, and her face was flushed.

"Hey," she greeted breathily. "Ready to go… when you are." She made to step towards him and ended up stumbling a little.

Axel went forward to see what was wrong, but she waved him away. "I'm fine," she muttered, "Just a little groggy from the nap. Once I get moving I'll be okay."

She tried to take another step but fell forward getting caught by Axel before she hit the ground. "You're not going anywhere in this condition," he declared lowering her back to the ground despite her protests. He reached up and placed a hand against her forehead. She was burning to the touch. "And now you've got a fever so you're staying put."

"No, we only have a...couple days left to...find the heartless...and we've wasted enough time already," she protested as strongly as she could.

"We can afford to wait a little while longer," he told her, keeping her from getting back up. "After all, you said this won't last long, right?"

Thorn closed her eyes in and relaxed a little. "Yeah, it's the pyrexia. It's what happens to a mage when they go a little overboard."

'_She calls trying to stop a mountain of snow in its tracks "a _little_ overboard"?' _he thought in disbelief.

"Sounds like this isn't the first time something like this happened," he commented, hoping distracting her with talk will lead her away from the idea of leaving.

"It's not," she admitted.

"I used to...overdo it...all the time...while training." Her breathing began to slow as she remained still and her eyelids fluttered a bit. "Madam Lulu would be upset...every time." She tried to sit up but a chill wind swept through the cave and she shivered heavily, her cloak still resting by the fire. "Wow it's...really...cold." Her breath started coming in short bursts now.

Axel reached for the blanket she had attempted to fold and once again wrapped her in it. "Yes it is, now go back to sleep. You really need it," he told her watching her weak attempts to bat him off. She showed signs of wanting to verbally protest again, but those slowly disappeared as her eyelids fell shut and her breathing evened out.

Axel stayed with her through the rest of the evening. The pyrexia was a slow and steady climb. Even though she was burning she couldn't seem to get warm enough, and she was sweating profusely. Axel did what he could, every now and then feeding her bits of food and coaxing her to drink water. Many times she protested, and other times she would just ramble on about stuff. Man, if there were two things he didn't miss it was sickness and the necessity to eat.

In the middle of the night he woke up to the sounds of low moaning and whimpering. He went over to see Thorn locked in what seemed to be some sort of night terror. Axel reached down and gently attempted to urge her awake. Upon touching her she began to twitch away as if she were trying to fight off something.

"Thorn, it's okay," Axel said shaking a little harder. "It's just me."

"Ngh…" Thorn's eyes opened and stared blearily at him. "Axel?"

"Yeah, how ya feeling?" Stupid question, he could tell just by looking at her she was going through magician hell. But he wanted to ease her out of the panic she was just in. Wow… how weird was this? Him, Axel, being comforting.

"Terrific," she mumbled, and he had to suppress a laugh at her attempt at sarcasm. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Not too long," he told her. He reached down and wiped the bits of hair that clung to her sweaty face. "You've been going up and under for the most of it."

She closed her eyes and swallowed hard, unable to do much else. "Still feeling cold?" he asked having cleared her face of hair.

She slowly shook her head. "No, it feels nice," she whispered in reply. "Sorry this is...taking so long."

"Hey, it's better to wait it out than to have you collapse in the middle of a fight right?" he asked with a small laugh. "You'd be causing a lot more trouble if I had to carry you."

"Ha, yeah right," she whispered. "Like I'd let you." She smiled lightly, her eyes remaining closed as if the light of the fire was too much, as silence fell over the pair. Axel lightly brushed at her bangs not sure how to help her other than making sure she rested. Then after a short time her eyes reopened though not really seeing what was in front of her. "Axel," she murmured. "You know something...you're really...hot."

Axel paused at this, unsure what she meant or how to answer. He withdrew his hand, wondering if his heat was becoming too much for her. "Well, I do wield fire, so it stands to reason…"

Thorn shook her head, smiling a little. "No… I mean… you're SEXY hot. You definitely… would've been popular… where I'm from."

Oh, the awkwardness. Did NOT see that one coming. 'She's just delirious,' he quickly told himself. Still, a compliment was a compliment. "Thanks," he replied patting her on the head. "You're not bad looking yourself."

Thorn gave a soft laugh before turning her head and drifting back off to sleep. Axel sat back and stretched his back a little, releasing a wide yawn. Man, caring for someone else was a lot of work, definitely not something he was used to either. He glanced back over at the sleeping girl. He had to admit, she really wasn't bad looking. Kind of cute actually… well, now that she was asleep and being quiet. Axel shook his head as he thought about what she'd said in her delirium. He wasn't sure why that comment had rattled him, but he was pretty convinced it didn't mean anything. Even so… maybe he could take advantage of this situation. What she didn't remember can't hurt her, right?

Only a few hours later, the night terrors of the pyrexia returned and Axel was attempting to shake her awake again.

"Ngh… Zell…. Zidane… Irvine… NO!"

He managed to shake her awake again as her eyes shot open. Fear, regret, and sorrow show brightly in her eyes which flitted about trying to make sense of her location. Eventually they rested on Axel's face and she finally calmed down. "Hey," she murmured before looking away as if ashamed. "How long have I been out?"

"A few hours give or take," Axel answered with a shrug. "You seem to have cooled off a bit."

"Yeah, I should be over it soon," she agreed reluctantly. "I must be slacking off or something. The pyrexia usually doesn't last this long."

"You've been out of practice," Axel said taking a seat beside her. "And you went way overboard. It's really not that surprising."

"Oh, shush," Thorn mumbled. "I'm just gonna have to train harder."

Silence hung over them for a bit until Axel decided to pop her a question. "When you were sleeping, you were calling out to some people," he said looking down at her. "Friends of yours?"

Her eyes had drifted close again but she was still somewhat conscious. "Yeah… my friends from back home."

"Could you tell me a little about it," he asked her slowly. "Your home I mean?"

Under the influence of the fever, and with gentle coaxing from Axel, Thorn told him about the world she was from and the people in it.

"It was big...really big," she started slowly. "It was a city with buildings that reached the sky...like the one below the castle. There were lots of people everywhere filling the streets so that there was hardly any room to walk. On the outskirts of the city was a big dump and beyond that...I never got to see, but I heard it was filled with monsters of different kinds." She paused for a moment thinking over what to say next, her delirium allowing her to speak uninhibited by suspicions. "Near where I grew up is a really big school where all the children go until they're 18. We learn about history, math and other useful things. And once we turn 14 we start learning how to fight."

She then told him about how she was training to be a mage, and how her three closest friends were always there for her when she needed it. Axel thought about pressing her for more details, like about her past, but he didn't. No sense pushing his luck.

"Sounds like you had some really good friends," he commented once she was finished.

"Yeah… but… they're gone now," she murmured sadly. "Everything… it's all gone." She winced in pain. "I have to find them. I have to."

Axel felt a small pang of sympathy. He knew exactly what it was like to lose practically everything. He'd at least been lucky enough to have his friend with him.

"I, really miss them," she finished with difficulty before slipping back into unconsciousness.

"Yeah, I got it," Axel murmured lying back down. "You're as determined to find them as he and I are to go back to normal." He stared up at the ceiling for a time listening to the steady breathing of the sleeping female next to him.

As he began to doze off, he heard her stir beside him. "Axel… I'm cold," she whined softly.

He smiled a little and eased himself under the blanket with her. She snuggled up beside him and he placed an arm over her. "Better?" he asked.

"Mmm," she hummed nuzzling against him. "Warm…"

Axel gave a small chuckle and lightly rubbed her arm. "Good to know."

Maybe they'd be able to help each other get exactly what they want. With that thought in mind, he too drifted off to sleep feeling like tomorrow they'd finally be able to return to the mission.

* * *

CM: Nyaw! Isn't that sweet? And who wouldn't want to snuggle up against that guy? So in the next chapter, it's back to the mission. Let's see if they manage to get anything productive done this time.


	16. Bad Friend

**Chapter 16: Bad Friend**

If there was one thing nice about Thorn getting sick, it was that Axel was able to sleep in. Sure, they'd have to make up for lost time, but it was nice to relax for a while. They both ended up sleeping through morning, and by early afternoon he awoke to her shifting around.

She stretched her body out and he heard a series of small popping noises. The girl then sat up and gave a small yawn, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Morning sleepyhead," Axel said from his place on the floor. "Feeling better?"

Thorn turned to him and nodded. "Yeah, much better." Her stomach gave a huge growl and she looked. "Uh… except for that."

Axel laughed at this and got to his feet stretching. "Well then we'd better get you something to eat," he said.

"Then let's go," she said standing as well before putting her cloak back on. Then she headed for the exit. Before she reached it, she turned back to Axel who was following right behind her. "And Axel...thanks for everything since the avalanche. You really didn't have to do any of it."

Axel shrugged as if it was not a big deal and thanks were unnecessary. "Well, what are friends for, right?"

Thorn nodded quickly turning away. "Right… well, let's get moving."

After managing to locate a meal, the two of them decided to leave the world thinking they'd spend enough time there. Thorn gasped in excitement when she saw the next world. It was greener than the other two combined. Entirely jungle with tall trees that formed a canopy and plants of various species growing all over. Thorn took a moment to listen and the sounds of wilderness were all around them.

"Wow," she exhaled looking around. "This is amazing."

"You're really into this nature stuff, huh?" Axel asked her as they navigated through the thicket of trees and shrubs.

"Well, when you grow up in a place that consists of concrete and metal, you tend to miss out on stuff like this," she replied.

"Oh yeah, a city would do that wouldn't it," he remarked with a shrug.

"What makes you think I was talking about a city?" she asked suddenly guarded.

Axel mentally smacked himself and turned back to her. "You mentioned it in your sleep," he explained with a shrug. "Just that it was a city." He was a little surprised she didn't remember anything she'd said, but then again it did make her compliment towards him a little less awkward. What was the harm in hearing something like that while she was delirious...chances were it was just her crazed on her fever talking anyway. She probably didn't really think that at all.

"Oh…" Thorn said calming a little, but also looking very self conscious. "Did I… say anything else?"

Yes, but he wasn't about to go into that. "You were saying a lot of things, but most of it either didn't make sense or I couldn't understand so I just ignored it." Well, it wasn't entirely a lie, but he still didn't meet her eyes as he said this.

"I see…" She was silent for a moment before perking back up. "Well, that's fine then I guess. But yeah, I grew up in a city where there was barely anything green and you couldn't see the stars." Thorn looked at him. "What about you?"

Ah, he was wondering when this would start, questions about his old life. Just thinking about his old home gave him a pang of nostalgia. A reason why he tried not to think about it too much, or better yet not at all.

"Axel?" Thorn asked not sure what to make of the expression on his face.

"Sorry, but talking about my past is...not exactly easy," he muttered looking away from her as well. "But ask again another time...I might be willing to answer then." He started walking forward again and after a time realized Thorn wasn't following him. "Well, are we going to find that heartless or do you feel like wasting more time?"

"No, now let's get this over with already," she muttered in irritation marching right passed him. She understood not being able to talk about the past...she wouldn't push it with him...for now at least.

An hour later the mood was back to normal and they both were grateful for it. Thorn didn't want a repeat of their earlier spat, so she tried not to take his silence too personally. She tried to think on it from his point of view. His home was probably like hers, gone. All the people he once knew, gone. His heart, the very thing that connected him with others, allowed him to feel, that made him a person, gone. Just thinking about all that must hurt, heart or no heart.

The jungle was hot and humid, a complete turnaround from the last world. At one point they came across what looked like a camp. It had several tents set up, weird contraptions, books, notes, maps….

"These people must be researchers of some kind," Thorn noted glancing around at all the stuff.

"They're probably researching the wildlife here," Axel commented taking mental notes of everything he saw.

"Yeah...but some of this looks...so primitive to what I'm used to," she commented poking a little at what seemed like a metal diagram of planets. Next to it she noted was a globe. "So that must be what this world looks like outside of this Jungle," she thought in awe, noting how big it probably was. She continued to stroll around the camp looking at the many different contraptions with Axel until she found a small black box with a candle next to it and thick slabs of wood with pictures on them.

"Wow," she exclaimed putting all of it together. "They don't even have video camaras...this looks like it's a projector...that works with candle light. They must not even have electricity!"

"Probably not," Axel nodded. "But I think we've poked around her long enough."

"You're right," Thorn sighed walking resignedly away from the camp. "I'd love to see how they manage to survive with such...junk."

"One person's junk is another's treasure," Axel stated knowingly. "They're adapted to survive with what they have."

"Listen to you sounding all wise and knowing," Thorn said with a hint of tease.

She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye and turned ot see a heartless that appeared to be a mushroom. She went on the defensive, but after a few moments realized it made no move to attack. Instead it started… shivering? After a few moments it stopped, then it began to fan itself. How queer, she thought. Whoa! Now it was glowing.

"Hey Axel, check this out," Thorn called to him.

Axel stopped and turned to see what she wanted. "Huh, a white mushroom," he said thoughtfully walking back to where she was. "You don't see those very often."

"It's... not attacking," Thorn noted as the mushroom continued to shiver, fan, and glow in no particular pattern. It was a heartless; she knew because it had the crest could see the hearts inside of it. All of them shared a common characteristic of being very peaceable, playful, and giving.

"Yeah, these guys aren't dangerous," Axel stated with amusement at her expression. "In fact, if you figure out what they want they'll give you something cool."

Thorn was intrigued by this and continued watching until it was fanning itself and then she released an ice spell which seemingly did nothing. After a few moments it bounced around and then disappeared leaving behind a small item. Thorn reached down and picked it up, it was a small orange stone, one that matched the size of the one in her necklace. "Amazing," she whispered as she slowly switched out the stones. "I wonder what properties it has."

"Guess you'll have to test it out and see," he told her. "Now come on, we got a lot of ground to cover and not much daylight left to do it."

True to his words, the few hours of light they had flew by fast. While they met their share of heartless –especially a monkey variety which reminded Thorn of one of her friends- they once again failed to come across anything remotely close to what they were looking for. The only productive discovery was Thorn finding that any enemies that got too close to her automatically became confused. As the sun sank beneath the trees, Axel and Thorn made finding a place to sleep their next top priority.

They managed to find a small cabin set up high in a tree with netting that surrounded the edges. With the small amount of light left in the sky they inspected the place discovering that it had been abandoned. "Well, this is probably the best thing we'll find around here," Thorn murmured noticing the dresser and bed set up inside. "I wonder why the people here left." She reached down and picked up a photo of two people with a small baby in their arms. They looked very kind and happy in the picture.

"Well, this jungle is filled with wild animals," Axel pointed out closing the door and covering the windows putting the entire room into darkness. "It's not too farfetched to believe they were simply chased out...or killed."

"Right," Thorn murmured slowly heading towards where she remembered the bed being. She didn't want to think about the young couple having died, along with their son. It was clear from the photo that they had loved him and that at least gave her some comfort.

Thorn climbed onto the bed, not bothering with the covers since she was still sweating from the heat of traveling in a jungle all day. She felt Axel ease down on the other side of the musty smelling mattress. Outside she could hear all sorts of things she wouldn't have been able to put a name to. Like the city, it seemed the jungle didn't sleep much after dark either. Thorn had the urge to scoot closer to Axel but she was already so hot she didn't want the extra discomfort. Instead she made it to where her back was just barely touching his, letting her know he was right there if she needed it.

For a while she lay there, occasionally shifting as she tried to get comfortable. Even with the cloak off, it was still too hot. Finally after what felt like an hour of unsuccessful sleep, Thorn got out of bed and went outside where it was a little cooler. She climbed up onto the roof area and settled down on her back to stare up at the sky. It was glorious.

The sky was a dark blue blanket littered with countless slews of glimmering stars. She remembered her first time seeing them, at Yen Sid's place, and what he'd told her about them. The stars were the lights of other distant worlds as well as the light of those who resided in them.

She heard the wooden surface creak a little and craned her neck to see Axel there. "Hey," she said softly. "Couldn't sleep either?"

"No, I was sleeping just fine until you got up," Axel sat sitting down next to her. "But I figured hey, might as well do a little star gazing while we're here. Plus, I wasn't comfortable with the idea of you being out here by yourself."

"Oh please," Thorn said with a roll of her eyes. "Whatever's out here, I think I can handle it."

"I don't know, you seemed like you were having some problems with that big cat," Axel replied with a smirk.

Thorn rolled her eyes and continued to stare at the stars. She wondered how many stars there used to be...before worlds started disappearing and what part of the sky hers once resided in.

"So, once we find that heartless and take it to Vexen...feel like going back out for some celebratory ice cream?"

Thorn laughed at this remembering the last time they did. "What, so I can get some more target practice?"

"I'll get you something you'll actually like," he muttered remembering it as well. "I don't like to waste good ice cream."

"Right," Thorn sighed having managed to get herself under control again. She didn't know what it was about Axel, but she found that being openly expressive about things came really easily around him. "Having some ice cream does sound great. Just make sure we aren't caught by Mr. Mummy."

Axel nodded in agreement. "Who is that guy anyway? You're dad or something?"

"Hell no," Thorn exclaimed in revulsion. "And if he were I'd emancipate myself. He's just a guy who… well, helped me out of a really sticky situation. So since I sort of owed him I started working for him."

"It must have been quite a debt if you were willing to work for someone you don't seem to like very much," Axel commented resting his arm on his knee.

"Well, I really didn't have much of a choice," she replied with a small shrug. "I had nowhere to go and no way to get anywhere. It was my only option at the time."

"And then you met us," he said with a sly smile.

"Yeah, and even then I might have been satisfied if I'd just been told what you were," she explained scratching her head in irritation. "But him trying to control me yet again mixed with my curiosity as to whether the people I'm looking for ended up like you...I couldn't say no."

"Well lucky for us then," Axel chuckled. "You do realize that going after us like you did really could have gotten yourself injured."

"I never once dropped my guard," Thorn retorted indignantly. "Plus I was sure I could take whatever came my way. You've seen my magic. If it came down to it I'd just have frozen them in place."

"Right, what was I thinking?" he humored her. "My mistake." Truth was though, he believe she might actually stand a chance in a one on one match with a select few of them. She still had a long way to go however.

Thorn sat up and gave him a light shove. "I'll take you on any day of the week."

"Better watch it," he warned. "You play with fire you're gonna get burn." He gave her a sharp poke in the head. "Got it memorized?"

Thorn pushed his hand and smiled devilishly. "I'm not afraid of getting burned."

"You say that now, but if you did end up fighting one of us, do you think you could keep on fighting?" he asked amused by her declaration.

"Yes, I will see my goal through to the end, no matter what," she told him determinedly. "As I'm sure you will with yours."

"She got that one right," he thought with a sigh. "Well, since we're both so determined, let's take a break from it just for tonight and relax under the sparkling worlds."

"Sounds good to me," Thorn said relaxing back into a laying position.

He did the same. Thorn really liked how comfortable it felt, laying under the stars with him and just… talking. She got to wondering what he was like when he still had his heart. Possibly the same as he was now?

Marluxia had told her they were all searching for what was lost, their hearts, and that once they found them, they'd be complete again. While he'd been misleading with some of his information, she didn't doubt that bit, and it seemed really important to most of them. She thought about Axel's heart being out there somewhere, wandering around, searching for its home.

Maybe… I could find it, she thought to herself. She was already looking for her friends, what was one more? And Zexion, and Demyx too… she could keep an eye out for all of them. It was the least she could do, right?

She slipped into a peaceful slumber then leaving Axel to continue staring at the sky. He was unable to sleep at the moment, his head so full of thoughts concerning the woman next to him as well as his own past. He stayed that way for a long time until he felt Thorn curl up next to him with her arm draped over his chest. He glanced over at her and took notice of how tight and revealing the outfit she was wearing really was. He forced himself to look away thinking that as a friend he really shouldn't be...but only a minute or more later, he was back to inspecting her.

As he looked over her, he became aware of this very odd sensation. It was some kind of low level hum throughout his body, almost like the vibration of a tuning fork. It was strange and he hadn't a clue what to make of it, so he looked away once more and it seemed to die down a bit.

"I'm a bad friend," he thought shaking his head.

* * *

CM: Lol, poor Axel. He doesn't know what to do with himself. What could be the cause of this strange new sensation? Nobody knows... okay, bad pun. Anyway, more fun and fluff to been had in the future.


	17. Through Another's Eyes

CM: As always thanks for your reviews! They help keep the story going.

**Chapter 17: Through Another's Eyes**

Morning came pretty quickly after that, the rising sun slowly pulling Thorn from her sleep. She noticed Axel was still asleep beside her so she decided to grab some food while she had the chance to, in order to help keep from wasting any more time. It didn't take her long to find something she could eat and when she did, she returned to the cabin roof to eat while watching the sun and waiting for the red head to awaken.

The goth had just nearly finished her breakfast when the Nobody sat up, reluctantly shaking himself awake. He rubbed his neck and shoulders before looking at her.

"Another fun filled day," he stated sardonically. "Ready to go?"

Thorn nodded before gobbling down the rest of her banana and throwing the peel away. The two of them were fairly quiet as they continued to search the jungle, both mulling over their own thoughts of the previous night whilst keeping their eyes peeled for the prize. Around lunch time Thorn picked some nuts and the two sit to relax for a bit.

"Just two more," Thorn commented cracking open a nut and popping it into her mouth.

"What's that?" Axel asked looking at her.

"This is the fifth day, right?" Thorn said, eyes skirting over the shady canopy above their heads. "After this we only have two more days."

"Hmm, yeah I guess you're right," Axel said swatting away a fly. "Days go pretty quick."

"Yeah, and me being out of commission for one day didn't help any," Thorn chuckled. "Maybe we can request an extra day because of it."

"Won't work," Axel stated easily. "Saix set that deadline for a reason. If we don't go back at that time we'll be in serious trouble."

"Right...well we still have some ground we need to cover before the day is out," she replied having finished her lunch and returned to her feet. "If we don't find anything in a few hours we'll simply go to the next world. Either way I hope we don't find it quite yet so we can have those two extra days."

"I didn't realize you enjoyed spending time with me so much," Axel stated with a coy smile as he stood up.

"Don't make stupid assumptions," Thorn muttered quickly turning away. "I just enjoy being out and about than stuck in the castle."

"Heh, right," Axel said deciding to just drop it.

Suddenly the sound of something crashing through leaves resounded above there heads and a shower of leaves and small branches rained down on them. Thorn instinctively shielded her head with her arms before looking up to see what it was.

Her eyes widened when she saw a large clump of hearts climbing around above her.

"Axel, that's it!" she shouted preparing an attack to knock it down from the trees. Moments later, she released a wind spell that lifted the creature off its perch.

"Got it," Axel stated leaping up to where her magic had congregated. He summoned his chakram and then landed a blow on what seemed to be the creature's head forcing it to reveal itself. "Looks like we'll be going back early after all." Thorn groaned at this...she really was hoping for some more time with just the two of them.

The creature looked similar to the first one Thorn had found, except it was a different color. It fell to the ground with a crash and to quick skittered up and shook itself. Then it bolted. Clearly this one was a tad bit more skittish than the other one too. Exchanging quick glances, the two of them gave chase.

"Don't lose sight of it," Axel told her

"I won't," she assured him. Thorn focused on keeping track of the myriad of hearts while running through bushes and around tree trunks. From what Thorn remembered about the geography of the place, the heartless was headed in the direction of the camp area.

They continued to follow the creature right through the camp and down a path that wrapped through a canyon. Thorn remembered that at the end of the path was a dead end and was sure the chase was coming to an end. She was so focused on following the clump of hearts that when she rounded the final corner she didn't see the other people present and was dragged back by a strong hand.

"Ack! What...?" she exclaimed until she saw who it had been.

Axel held up a finger telling her to be quiet as he peeked around the corner. Thorn did as well and was surprised to see the boy from Traverse Town with a talking dog a talking duck and a large man that was bent over walking on all fours.

"What in the world?" Thorn though perplexed. What was the boy doing there? Who were theses people? She wasn't left in the dark for too long. After a brief reading of his heart she learned what she needed.

The boy and his three companions were fighting the cornered creature. The duck was casting spells and the dog was charging at it with a shield while the boy swung a key shaped sword at the heartless. The man on all fours fought with a hand crafted spear and leapt about with the dexterity of a jungle cat.

"If they defeat that thing, it's back square one for us," Axel muttered from beside her.

Thorn knew he was right, and while she wanted to spend the extra time traveling worlds with him, she didn't want to run the risk of incurring Saix's wrath if they came back empty handed. Just as the boy with the key was about to deal the finishing blow, Thorn used her time spell, freezing them all in place.

In that time, Axel rushed forward, grabbed the heartless, and pulled it around the corner to Thorn. Once there she released the time spell and put the creature to sleep. The moment the four were released from the time spell, the final attack was unleashed and they believed they had defeated it.

"We should probably go now huh?" Thorn murmured lifting the heartless into the air using gravity.

"Unfortunately, yeah," Axel sighed opening a portal. "Let's go before those guys see us."

Thorn nodded and followed him through. It was now the end of the longest mission she'd ever been on, but she had to admit it was the best.

* * *

"Thorn, you're back!"

The only warning she received was this exclamation before she was tackled from behind. The smell of rain filled her nostrils as Demyx squeezed her around the middle. Needless to say she was a little upset at herself for being taken by surprise like that. She'd been transporting the heartless down to the lab while pondering what had just happened.

After they got back, Saix was there wanting an immediate report. Axel did the honors, explaining where they went and what they'd learned in the meantime. What he didn't mention was Thorn saving the travelers from the avalanche and then getting sick, slicing away a whole day of productivity. After Saix was satisfied he sent Thorn to deliver the heartless to Vexen.

Before she and Axel parted ways he told her to meet back up with him in the briefing room later when she could.

"Man, did I miss you," Demyx declared excitedly squeezing her tighter. "It's just not as much fun playing by myself."

"I missed you too Demyx," she replied prying him off of her. "It really is relaxing to hear your music."

Demyx grinned like an idiot before he noticed the large heartless beside them. "So...what are you doing with this thing?" he asked pointing it out.

"Taking it to Vexen," she sighed as she pushed herself up and began moving it again. "My entire mission was to find him and bring it back for examination. I just want to dump this thing off and get some rest. I'm exhausted." As she started walking away an idea struck her. "You want to come along?"

"Yeah! It's better than trying to find something to do while I wait," he agreed falling into step beside her. "So, what worlds did you and Axel go to anyway?" he asked curiously.

"Well, all of them were either countryside or wilderness," Thorn explained to him. She described each world chronologically, expanding on the natural features as well as the wildlife she saw while there.

"Yikes, I would NOT have been a happy camper on that mission," Demyx said with a squeamish face. "Way too uncultivated for me."

"Not much of a boy scout, huh?" Thorn asked with a small grin.

"Do I look like the kind of guy who could survive in the wilderness?" Demyx asked gesturing to himself. "Heck no. I prefer civilization."

Oh well, Thorn thought. To each his own.

They continue down the hall with Demyx talking up a storm about the newest song he'd made that he really wanted to show her and she just nodded. When they reached the labs, Thorn unceremoniously dropped it into the middle of the room and calls out. "Okay, I got your heartless, Vexen. If that's all you need I'll be going." With that she turns to leave but is stopped by the dreaded voice of the scientist.

"Ah, thank you," he stated walking into the room and immediately making sure the heartless is properly bound for future experimentation. "Yes that's all for now...but I have something special for you to try. So first thing in the morning I want you here to test it out."

"Sure thing," Thorn sighed masking her dread rather easily. "I'll be going then."

"Hey, Thorn," Demyx spoke once they were out of earshot. "Think I can come with you tomorrow? I kind of want to see what Vexen's cooked up."

"Don't you have missions?" Thorn asked him.

"Not tomorrow I don't think," he said, though he sounded unsure.

"Well, if you can then by all means, tag along," Thorn said. It would be nice to have some company other than a mad scientist and a bunch of contained heartless.

"Great," Demyx said with a grin. "So, feel up for a jam session?"

"Maybe later," she said with a hint of apology. Since she was all done she wanted to go to the briefing room to meet Axel for whatever it is he wanted.

When she arrived the room was clear save for one red head leaning against one of the windows. "So, ready to head out?" he asked with a smile.

She nodded returning the smile and he opened the portal taking her all the way through to Twilight Town.

"You didn't forget about our celebration did you?" he asked when they exited at the top of the clock tower.

"Yeah, I guess I did," she admitted. "So, what ice cream do you plan on getting me this time?"

"You'll just have to see," he laughed before disappearing. Thorn sighed and stared out over the edge watching the sun set in the distance. It had been awhile since she'd been back and she was grateful to be there at that moment.

A few minutes later Axel was back, holding a sea-salt ice cream in one hand and a pink and red ice cream in the other. "Here you go," Axel said handing the latter over to her. "You should like this."

Thorn took it, looking at it balefully.

"What's wrong?" Axel asked her.

"It's pink," she said with sheer dislike.

Axel rolled his eyes. "Just eat it. Who cares what it looks like so long as it tastes good?"

Thorn dithered for a few more seconds before trying it. It had a creamy texture, and it tasted like strawberries with a pop of heat towards the end. "Hmm, okay, I like this."

"See, told you," Axel chuckled eating his own ice cream. "So, was coming here a good idea?"

"Yeah," Thorn answered with a soft smile. "It's really relaxing to be here again. To be honest I kind of missed it."

"Feel like coming here more often?" Axel asked with a smile. "I come after every mission...you'd be more than welcome to join me."

"Yeah, I'd like that," she answered after a moment. "After every mission...right?"

"Well, every mission we have together anyway," he said biting into his ice cream. "They usually prefer we stay home after coming back and I doubt the others want to go through the trouble of dropping you off here."

"Right, "Thorn said a little disappointed at that.

"My door will always be open though," Axel tagged on with a smile.

Thorn tried not to appear too excited about this by taking a huge bite of her ice cream. When she swallowed she switched topics. "Why didn't you tell Saix about… well, you know..."

Axel glanced at her before looking back towards the sunset. "It wasn't really something he needed to know. The mission was a success and we completed it well within the time limit. Any upsets along the way are neither here nor there."

"Well, thanks," she murmured taking another bite. "I doubt I'd be able to leave ever again if he knew."

"Yeah, and then any chance of us having another LONG mission would be impossible," Axel agreed giving her a small hint. "I'd hate to lose that chance to just go and have fun."

"Right, but according to you, you can't hate losing it. That would be an emotion," Thorn teased shoving his arm lightly. "But I do have to agree. I'd love to do another one of those with you. It'd be a lot more fun too because we wouldn't have that...tension to start with."

"And whose fault was that?" Axel teased, waving his ice cream at her.

Thorn gave him another light shove and he laughed, and for once she laughed with him.

* * *

When the two were done with their ice cream they finished watching the sun set before they RTC'd. By that time Axel was ready for some well deserved sleep.

This notion was well reinforced when he abruptly let out a yawn. "Well, it's late. I'm gonna go get my forty winks."

"Alright, I think I'm gonna go grab some real food from my room," Thorn replied rubbing her stomach. Ice cream was good, but it wasn't what you'd call filling.

"Should I expect a late night visitor?" he asked in a very hinting manner.

"Maybe, maybe not," she answered with a shrug. "But if you lock your door you'll never find out." With that she headed off to her room keeping her smile to herself.

Her response caused Axel to smirk and waited until she was out of sight before heading for his own room. He was looking forward to finding out if she'd be coming or not and almost didn't see the person standing next to his door.

"Need something, Vexen?" he asked knowing he wouldn't be able to sleep until he'd talked to the scientist.

"Did you manage to collect any data during your excursion?" the scientist asked expectantly. "If so, I would very much like to have it now."

The red head sighed. "Geez, I was going to write the report up tomorrow. At least let me sleep until then."

Vexen folded his arms impatiently. "As if you haven't already wasted enough time."

Axel rolled his eyes. This was really turning out to be more of a pain than he'd bargained for. "But Vexn, surely you know good things come to those who wait."

"Do not patronize me," the older man snapped.

The red head's face became serious. "I can assure you, you'll get you your info soon enough. Tomorrow I'll write down everything I've learned and give it to you, so you may do with it what you will."

"That is not good enough," Vexen informed him. "I will very much like the written report tomorrow, but as I am hoping to test something new first thing I need to know of anything important gathered for any possible adjustments."

"Only what's important?" Axel muttered realizing the man was that determined to have the info right then. "Fine, she grew up in a city without a family."

"And..."

"That's it," Axel told him. "The rest are measley details about her home world, which you'll read once I write them out."

The blonde shook his head. "Hmph, you're beginning to make me question whether I should have enlisted the help of that loud mouth. No matter... continue gathering the data. But I would like a detailed account of her origins."

"Of course, your elderliness," Axel said in a falsely obliging tone.

At last Vexen left and Axel was free to go into his room and sleep.

As his head hit the pillows, he thought, "I always get the crappy jobs."

* * *

The next morning, Axel had planned to sleep in. "Planned to" being the key phrase. Unfortunately for him, a rather big annoyance decided to invade his room.

"AXEL!" The shout was the first thing that Axel heard that morning accompanied by a heavy weight landing on his bed making him sit up quickly.

It took a moment for him to get his bearings and in that time nearly barbecued the person on his bed. "What do you want Demyx?" he demanded.

"Come on Axel, it's going to start soon," Demyx exclaimed excitedly. "You want to see it too right?"

The red head rubbed his eyes irritably. "What are you talking about?"

"Vexen's cooked up something new and I guess it involves Thorn," Demyx explained quickly. "We should go and give her our support." He spoke as if she were marching off to battle rather than participating in lab work.

Speaking of the Somebody, Axel noticed she was no where to be seen. He hadn't a clue whether she'd made it to his room last night or not. "She doesn't need our support," Axel told him. "And I couldn't care less about one of Vexen's experiments." He lay back. "Now go away before I burn the rest of your hair off."

It was his day off, and he didn't get many of those. After a long mission like that, he just wanted to sleep.

"Come on! Thorn's waiting for us," Demyx exclaimed pulling Axel back up. "Besides Vexen said it would help with the identification of hearts or something like that."

"What part of go away don't you understand?" Axel demanded wrenching himself out of the boy's grip.

"All of it," Demyx replied with a grin before dropping a large amount of water on Axel's face. He then jumped out of the bed to avoid the fire that shot at him and quickly shot behind the now standing red head and started pushing him out the door. "Alright, Vexen's demonstration here we come."

"You know," Axel said as he gave in to the water user's insistence and dried himself off. "I think you've gotten even more annoying since she came here."

When they arrived at the lab Thorn was already there with Vexen as well as Zexion.

"Hey, you came to see the show too, huh?" Demyx asked the bookworm.

"When Vexen told me about it, I was intrigued," Zexion said not looking at him.

Thorn was inwardly giddy about having all three of her pals there. It would make this day so much more bearable.

"I didn't expect you both to be here as well," Vexen sniffed, looking to Axel and Demyx. "But I suppose a couple extra spectators will be fine. Just don't touch anything."

"So what is this new invention, old man?" Demyx asked excitedly.

"Just wait and see," Vexen answered before motioning for Thorn to take a seat in a small chair next to what looked like a giant monitor. She did so with a sigh and the scientist went to work attaching several different cords to her neck, both sides of her head, and one along her spine. "Now, if you would, Zexion, bring out the sample heartless."

The fringe haired boy nodded and disappeared for a moment before returned while pushing out the chameleon heartless Thorn and Axel had brought in the day before.

"And now, for the test," Vexen declared in an excited voice as he flipped on the monitor. Thorn flinched for a moment when the machine turned on but her discomfort quickly ended. Axel and Demyx watched the screen in curiosity as it slowly turned on, revealing the heartless that was in the room, except now in the center was a large mass that consisted of pinkish red orbs that each had a different face inside of them. Stretching off of each orb were thousands of tiny strands that seemed to branch out in all directions getting tangled in each other because of the close proximity.

"Whoa," Demyx murmured in disbelief as he stared wide-eyed at the monitor. "That is so totally wicked."

After observing for a few moments, Zexion turned to the head scientist. "Vexen, is that…"

"Ah, you've figured it out," Vexen said with a pleased smile. "Yes, what you all are seeing right now is what our young heartseer sees. With this machine I have succeeded in tapping into her mind's eye and allowing her special sight to be displayed for our own viewing."

"I see," Zexion murmured, touching his chin. "Truly remarkable."

'This is what she sees all the time?' Axel thought in wonder.

His eyes moved away from the screen. It almost made him dizzy trying to sort through all of the hearts contained in that one spot. Is that really what she saw, every time she looked at a heartless? Masses of hearts, each with their own faces and memories and connections? He didn't envy her on that note, not one bit. Axel heard Demyx exclaim from beside him and glance back up at the monitor to see himself, and the other Nobodies on screen. Just them. No hearts, no strands, just them.

"You guys are really seeing what I'm seeing?" Thorn asked as she glanced around at all of them. It was a little unnerving to see the drastic difference between the creature with a lot of hearts versus them, the people with no hearts.

"Don't look away from the heartless," Vexen ordered forcing her face back toward the heartless. The mass of hearts reappeared on the monitor. "There...now you will explain to me what it is we are seeing. What these faces are, what the strands signify. If you can, make it focus on only one."

"I told you I can't turn it off," Thorn groaned realizing what she'd be doing for the next week. "I simply learned how to ignore the others. My eyes still see them, I just choose to pretend as if there is only one. It still doesn't change the fact that I see all of them at once."

"Hmm, we'll have to work on that," Vexen speculated out loud. "I have great plans for you." He looked to Axel and Demyx. "You both may leave. I have several tests I wish to run and you both will only serve as distractions."

"Aw, no fair! Why does he get to stay?" Demyx demanded pointing at Zexion.

"He will be assisting me," Vexen stated looking at Demyx condescendingly. "You however have no use beyond recon, and even that you fall short of. There is no place in my lab for a brainless dolt."

Axel was about to make his exit when he noticed the monitor flickering unnaturally, distorting the image. He glanced over at Thorn who was glaring daggers at the elder Nobody, her fingers digging into the arms of the chair.

"I said keep looking at the heartless," Vexen exclaimed in irritation. "How do you expect me to do my study with the monitor flickering like that?"

She groaned and looked back at the heartless once more. "Ugh, this is going to be the most boring thing I'll ever have to suffer through." she thought continuing to stare at the creature before her. "I swear, if I'm keep staring at this thing I'm going to pass out."

Things seemed to go back to normal after that and Axel took Demyx by the arm. "Come on, it's time to go," he said pushing him towards the exit. He glanced back at Thorn who seemed to have calmed down and was absorbed in sorting through hearts.

Did she have something to do with what just happened? Or was it just the machine being faulty? If it was the latter fine, but the former… was quite a bit more troubling.

* * *

CM: Dun dun dun. What oh what could this be foreshadowing? Guess you'll have to find out later. Have I mentioned how much we enjoy writing Demyx? He's like the annoying kid brother Axel never wanted. XD


	18. Terrible

**Chapter 18: Terrible**

Next couple weeks were a bit of a drag for Thorn. She was spending quite a bit of time in the lab with Vexen and his machine. The only comfort being Zexion was there too. Even on days where she was given missions she was required to spend at least a few hours doing tests. The only reprieve she had was the fact that she no longer had to describe what she saw, she just had to look and sit quietly. Often she found herself zoning out and a few times she even fell asleep in the chair.

Vexen also began drilling her into trying to do more than just see the hearts. He wanted to see if she could possibly manipulate them as well. Much to the scientist's frustration progress was slow going, and he wasn't shy of letting Thorn in on his displeasure. Zexion was a great deal more sympathetic and always made sure to have snacks and water on hand for her.

"I swear, one of these days I'm going to take that clipboard and smash it over his head," Thorn muttered after the 14th day of this.

"I understand you're frustration," Zexion told her as he escorted her out of the lab. "However, you must keep in mind Vexen is merely doing his part. He is very meticulous where his work is concerned."

"Yeah, of course," Thorn muttered rubbing her sore head. "I just wish he'd let up every once in awhile. I'm not a machine after all."

"I know," Zexion expressed looking over at her. "He really is pleased with you though. He's gaining a lot of information from this and wouldn't be able to get this far without your help. He just gets frustrated when things don't go as smoothly as he thinks they should."

Thorn attempted a smile, not because Vexen was pleased with the progress but because Zexion was attempting to make her feel better. "You know, for people who supposedly lack emotions, you guys are an expressive bunch."

Zexion smiled faintly. "Ah, yes. Lack of emotions for lack of heart. That is one of the theories."

Thorn looked at him curiously. "Theories? So it's not an absolute fact?"

"Many seem to believe it is," Zexion explained to her, "but Vexen and I have developed other theories. That one happens to be the most accepted."

"Well I'm open to a different theory," Thorn stated. "What do you believe?"

Zexion was silent for a moment as he contemplated. "I believe it's possible we do still carry emotions, however… because we are lacking a heart, we are always plagued by a sense of emptiness and uncertainty. This sensation overshadows everything else causing our ability to feel to become diminished or often times muted. That is why we try to keep ourselves busy. It helps to fill the void so to speak."

Thorn thought hard about this. She could see that the members would experience emotions despite them swearing up and down that they don't have any. It made a lot more sense for them to have it but not really know how to deal with it when they feel empty. It seemed almost sadder somehow.

"So, you believe you experience emotions?" she asked out loud. "But this emptiness sort of interferes with it?"

"Yes, this is why I spend most of my time reading," Zexion replied looking over at her and smiling. "Now there are a few things that I must attend to for Vexen. I do hope that the remainder of your day goes better." With that and a slight tilt of his head he headed off towards his room and the almost library.

It was late and Thorn wanted to go to bed, but when she went to Axel's room the door was locked, meaning he was still out. He'd always leave his room unlocked for her. Every night for the past two weeks she'd spent the night in his bed, which certainly made up for the lack of missions together since the five day one. Usually he'd be in bed before her, and she'd quietly slip into the room and crawl in with him. If he was up for it the two of them would talk for a while, about their day, about the other members, sometimes about themselves.

It was a huge comfort for her, but also frustrating, because she didn't want to take advantage of his kindness and risk getting kicked out. She had to keep in control, try to ignore how attractive he was or how nice he smelled.

Thorn decided to wait for him in the briefing room since that's where everyone came out when coming back from a mission.

When she arrived, the only person present was Larxene. "Saix must be busy," she thought in dismay before lying down on one of the couches. Her head still hurt from the hours of staring off into space and she contemplated taking a nap there until Axel arrived, but the female NOBODY had other plans.

"Well well, if it isn't the wonderful heartseer," Larxene said in a mocking tone. "Tired after a long day of doing nothing?"

"Go shack up with Marluxia," Thorn muttered.

She really didn't want to deal with the wench so short after her frustrating session with the scientist. She was near blowing up when she left the lab...she didn't want to get back to that point if she could help it.

"Speaking of shacking up, I couldn't help but noticed how you're getting awfully friendly with a lot of the boys," Larxene commented scathingly.

"And...I fail to see how that's any of your business," Thorn retorted without looking up. "It's not like one of them is your boyfriend or anything."

"I just don't want you to get any delusions about getting close to any of them," Larxene said with a condescending smile. "I mean really, you're just a toy to them."

"At least they don't flee at the sight of me," Thorn answered back, staring out the glass windows. Really it was only Demyx who fled but no one else ever seemed pleased to see the blonde. Well, there was the exception of Marluxia but he was weird.

"Hmph, at least I know them," Larxene simpered looking closely at Thorn's eyes waiting for them to show any sign that it bothered her. "You know next to nothing about Axel or any of the others do you? And yet they're learning all about you."

Thorn hated to admit it, but she had a point. She really didn't know anything about the people she was spending time with other than the habits they displayed on a regular basis. "I know them well enough," she replied after a time not wanting Larxene to know she was bothered. "I spend enough time with them to know what I need to know to be close to them."

"My, my, how sad," Larxene said with a shake of her head. "You'd be surprised what sort of dark secrets they're keeping from you. Take Axel for example, if you think he's good looking now, you should see what he's hiding under that cloak," she said with a glint in her eye. "I suppose it's appropriate that he wields fire. He's a wild one, especially in bed."

Thorn didn't want to believe her, but at the same time she had to wonder. Before her, Larxene was the only female in the castle. Heart or no heart, he was still a guy, wasn't he? Now Thorn was doing all she can not to envision it: him with Larxene. She wouldn't be able to stomach it.

The sound of a portal opening caught Thorn's attention and she looked up to see Axel appear from it. By the look on his face it had been a long day for him too.

When he spotted the two of them looking at him he stopped. "Hope I didn't interrupt any important girl talk."

"No, we were just finished actually," Larxene said rising up from her seat and going over to him. "You look like you've had one hell of a time." She commented, tracing a gloved finger over the exposed area beneath his neck. "You're not getting soft are you?"

Thorn looked away, wanting to retch.

"No I'm not," he answered calmly, though the look on his face said he didn't like her being that close. "It was just irritating that's all." He walked away from her and over to the couch Thorn was lying on. "So, did you have a rough day with Vexen? You look really worn out."

"Yeah, he was being a real pain and very pushy," she answered getting to her feet. This was her cue that it was time to leave, though Larxene's words still lingered in her mind. "I was just taking a break for awhile, waiting for everyone to get back so I can hang out with you, and Demyx. Zexion is still busy with errands for Vexen."

"Sounds good," Axel said with a smile. Past him, Thorn could see the look on Larxene's face sour and she took pride in that. "Let's go find the little music nut." Thorn nodded and left the room with him. Once they were far enough away Axel commented, "We're not really going to find Demyx, are we?"

The goth smiled a little. He was getting really good at reading her. She only said that to throw Larxene off the trail. Thorn didn't want anyone else knowing she was spending her nights with Axel. Since most everyone kept to themselves, it wasn't terribly hard to keep it secret. They went to his room and she stripped off her cloak before getting into bed beside him.

Axel was lying on his side with his head propped up on his elbow. "So," he said conversationally. "I'd never imagine you and Larxene would end up such good friends."

"We're not," she muttered, her hand gripping the pillow. "I was only there so I could wait for you...and then she starts saying all this random crap and I had to really try to ignore her."

"Really, what did she say?" he asked curiously, leaning in slightly.

Thorn turned to face him and seeing him drew all that was said straight back to the surface of her mind. "It was...nothing important. Just useless gossip," she answered with a shrug before turning away from him once more. She really didn't want to show any sign that something was bothering her and so she wanted to get to sleep fast. Maybe when she's out she'll finally lose that image. "I can't believe how much she likes the sound of her own voice."

"Thorn, you're familiar with the concepts of body language, right?" Axel asked her. Without waiting for an answer he said, "Well, yours is telling me Larxene said something that's got you up in a bind." He really didn't want to have a repeat of what happened when Marluxia twisted her thoughts around. On top of that, mind poisoning was one of Larxene's favorite pastimes. When Thorn refused to answer, he placed a hand on her arm. "Just tell me what's bothering you."

On contact Thorn felt the air leave her lungs and the sensation of butterflies throwing a wild and crazy shindig in her stomach. Looking down at the hand covering her arm, so close to her hand, she wondered why such a small gesture could make her react on such a level.

"Stupid, you know why," she thought to herself.

Right, it was the same reason the idea of him with Larxene made her want to upchuck all those butterflies onto the clean white floor.

Even still, she didn't want this to poison whatever it was she and Axel had. While she feared what the answer could be, she couldn't stand NOT knowing.

Finally she took a deep breath and turned to face him, her expression set in determination. "Have you ever thought about or actually had sex with Larxene?" she asked with a straight face.

Whatever Axel was expecting her to say, it certainly wasn't this. His eyes widened at the question and he lay there frozen for several minutes. "Where the hell did that come from?" he asked trying to buy himself some time. "Why would you want to know something like that?"

"Well, see Larxene was going on about how I didn't really know anything about anyone here but they seem to be learning a lot about me and then she started bragging about how...how did she put it? You're a wild one in bed."

Thorn said all of this in a rush, feeling as though the faster it was out the better. "I mean, I guess I wouldn't blame you if you did. She's the only girl around here after all and you are a guy and I'm sure you have needs. So it makes perfect sense if you…"

"Stop…just stop!" Axel said stridently and Thorn immediately shushed. He took a moment to settle his thoughts as well as wipe away the terrible images her questioning had inspired. "Never," he said at last. "Nothing like that ever occurred between us. Never has and never will."

You'd think that answered would have satisfied, but no. "Have you at least thought about it?" she asked.

"What the... No!" he said exasperated. "It never even crossed my mind until now."

"Oh," Thorn said slowly. "Okay then, that's all I wanted to know." She rolled over, facing her back to him again and burying her face out of sight. "Goodnight."

She had to be pulling his leg. There was no way he was going to let her end the conversation like that. "No, you're not passing out after you drop a bomb like that," he declared turning her back to face him. "Other than the fact this came from Larxene, what would convince you that I'd even consider doing anything remotely similar to that with her?"

"Like I said, you are a guy," she replied acting like none of it mattered. "I'm sure you've wanted to get off at least once. It was a legitimate question."

"There was nothing legitimate about it," Axel stated firmly. It astounded him how she could so shamelessly talk about this. "And why would it even matter to you?"

"No reason," Thorn mumbled, trying not to glance away like she wanted to. "Just a curiosity. I mean… I don't know that much about you or what you did before I showed up."

"Other than the fact that you sleep in here with me now, nothing really changed," he told her rubbing his forehead. "You really feel like you don't know me?"

"Well, considering the fact you really don't talk about yourself much...yeah," she answered with a shrug. "But I won't force it either."

At the look on his face she said, "Look, I'm not good at reading people. Used to, I never had to try and get to know people. I just had to look at them and I knew who they were. At first it was nice not having that here but now… I feel shut out." Thorn felt stupid saying all this, but it's been weighing down on her for a while now and she needed to get it out. When he didn't say anything she looked away from him. "Should I just go now?"

Axel released a sigh before reaching over and pulling her up against him. Thorn had to swallow back her heart which had somersaulted into her throat. "No, I don't want you to leave, I'm not trying to shut you out, and I don't want you to shut me out either." He really didn't know what possessed him to do that. Maybe it was because she seemed upset and… well, hugs were supposed to make people feel better, right?

Thorn felt warmth spread through her at the gesture and she slowly started slipping off to sleep. What did it matter if she didn't know who he was before she came around? She was learning about the current him and she liked what she saw...that was all she needed to know.

Axel felt her nodding off and decided to let her. The matter seemed to have been settled and she seemed to have cheered up a bit which was good. What was bothering him at that moment was the real reason she had asked. The only reason he could think of that would explain why she'd ask was that she really cared for him that way and didn't like the idea of Larxene being anywhere near him. She almost sounded jealous.

Axel decided not to speculate further than that. Things were already awkward enough for him as it were. It's not as though he minded her sharing a bed with him. But ever since the long mission, he was becoming more and more aware of her. Some nights she would snuggle up to him in her sleep, and as thin as her nightwear was, he always knew what was pressing up against him. There were times where he couldn't help himself and his eyes would wander. And then there was that crazy humming he got when he was near her... It was as she said, he was a guy, and she… was a not bad looking female. It didn't help matters in the least when she brought up such a topic, talking about it as if she were asking him what his favorite color was.

"You see what you've done to me?" he thought to her, looking at her sleeping face. "Of course you don't, because you're sound asleep, completely oblivious. While me, I'll probably be up for the next hour or more thanks to you."

He lay there for a long time, arm draped over Thorn in a comfortable manner. His eyes stung from tiredness but his mind still didn't allow him to drift off. Geez... why did Larxene have to open her big mouth? After about an hour or so his hand found skin and he started to move his hand back and forth across it until he touch cloth. At that point he realized he was rubbing her bare belly and quickly removed his hand and turned onto his back.

"I really am a terrible friend," he thought, trying to lose the memory of how her skin felt beneath his fingers.

* * *

CM: Poor poor Axel, he just can't catch a break. And yes, we actually decided to use Larxene in this chapter. Even though we don't care for her very much, it wouldn't be fair to completely shut her out of the story, as she's a member too. So how long will this sexual tension manifest before it reaches a breaking point? Hopefully soon, neh? :)


	19. Bleeding Heart

**Chapter 19: Bleeding Heart**

It wasn't very often the members of the Organization gathered. Several preferred it that way. Saix was one of them. Aside from the similarity of having no hearts, he felt no connection to any of them, save for one. In his eyes, they might as well all be tools, each designed for a specific purpose. He had no delusions of grandeur, however. In spite of his position as second in command, a position he'd worked hard to achieve, he was aware he himself was more than likely a tool for some purpose. It was a necessity, however, to play out this part for the time being. As of right now, he needed the organization. They both did.

That morning, after everyone had been sent off on their missions, four of the highest members congregated in the Room Where Nothing Gathers as per the leader's summons. There was him, Saix, then Xigbar, and finally Vexen. Xigbar was number two in the organization and might have been second in command had he been a little more serious. Vexen, number four, was the head researcher, and also a founding member. While Xemnas gave not a hint as to what he summoned them for, Saix could easily deduce what the meeting was about.

The heartseer.

"Saix, how has the Heartseer been doing with her missions?" Xemnas began. They all knew this was the reason for the summons and were curious as to what the other two had to say.

"There have been no problems as of yet," Saix replied. "All missions she accompanies another member and each one's time of completion is cut back considerably. According to those that have gone with her, she is rather intuitive and does what is asked of her without complaint. No one has had anything to complain about."

"Ain't that a wonder," Xigbar laughed. "I would have thought our resident witch would have at least attempted to fabricate something to complain about."

"What good would it do?" Vexen asked. "Nothing would change unless she had actual proof that the Heartseer was useless."

"Heh, right you are," Xigbar agreed. "Well, I've been keeping tabs on her during her off hours. She's such a well behaved girl. Doesn't go poking around where she's not supposed to, and most of the questions she asks aren't even about the Organization. Though, she does seem to be getting very well acquainted with some of the members." He said this last bit with a toothy grin at Saix.

Saix ignored the insinuation, knowing precisely what the cyclops was getting at. Xigbar may have only one eye, but it was ever focused on the activities of the other members. Always keeping his ear to the ground, Xemnas's ever loyal spy.

"Indeed," he simply stated. He was not about to address that incident and would just as soon forget it ever happened.

Xigbar gave a chuckle and finished off with, "Well, in short, she's been keeping her nose pretty clean. No worries there."

Xemnas nodded before turning to Vexen for his report.

"Things have been going smoothly in the lab as well, albeit slowly," he began. "Being able to see the hearts myself has opened new doors and brought about brand new theories regarding how it works. The human heart truly is a remarkable thing and has a number of functions I didn't even think possible." He held up a folder filled with papers. "This is what I've discovered so far including my own theories." He transported it to the leader before continuing. "As for the Heartseer's progress in increasing her own ability, it's moving very slowly. However, I do believe that once she becomes familiar with the process I'm putting her through, seeing them isn't the only thing she'll be able to do."

"Excellent," Xemnas stated once everyone had said their piece. "It would seem the heartseer is becoming an invaluable asset to us. Let us all ensure it remains that way." After that he dismissed them.

Yes, Saix thought as he left, the heartseer was becoming more useful than he first thought possible. Perhaps he could utilize her to get what he needed. He would of course have to be discreet, lest he attract unwanted attention. However, with Axel keeping such close watch over her, difficulty of that would be minimal.

"First, let's see if she can meet the expectations," Saix thought to himself. "We will go from there."

* * *

"ACHOO!" Thorn released a monstrous sneeze.

"Is something ailing you?" her companion inquired.

"No, it's nothing," she replied rubbing her nose. "Probably just allergies, but thanks for asking, Luxord."

The world they were in today looked like something out of one of her history books. It was a city with old fashioned buildings, old fashioned cars, and a large clock tower. Luxord had called the place London . It was night time in that world, and even though it was a city, the firelight of the lampposts was not enough to drown out the lights of the starry sky above them.

"The other worlds look really bright tonight," she commented as she strolled down the cobbled streets with her companion.

"Indeed, each one a different piece in the game we call life," he agreed in wonder.

"Uh...yeah," Thorn muttered. His gaming references really didn't bother her that much at first, but since he said everything in regards to a game it really grated on her nerves after awhile. "So, what's the mission for today?"

"There is a heartless that was spotted here recently," Luxord explained. "We're going to be playing hide and seek with the flying devil. Care to see who discovers its hiding place first?"

Thorn was intrigued by this idea. "You mean split up? Is that even allowed?"

"I don't doubt your trustworthiness," he told her frankly. "You know to play by the rules."

Well how nice was this? Someone who was actually willing to let her out of their sight. She could feel her respect for him rise by several notches. "Alright then," she said with a wide grin. "If I win I claim one of your card decks."

"Intriguing request," he murmured. "Then if I win, you will be conquered for one day." Thorn raised and eyebrow at this and he clarified. "That is to say, you will be ruled by me for one day. Unless otherwise ordered by Saix or Vexen."

Thorn had to think about it for a moment but shrugged her shoulders and grinned. "Deal, you're on then," she replied immediately looking all around her.

"The time limit will be two hours. If the creature is not found and destroyed in that time no one wins and we'll simply resume searching together. Otherwise, you return here when you either find it or when time is up," he declared. "May you have good luck." With that he vanished obviously starting his own search.

Thorn went ahead and decided to get start. She already knew the first place she would be checking. Atop the clock tower would no doubt give her a nice view of the city. If she was lucky, it would help speed up the hunt. She wasn't troubled by the consequences of losing but it wasn't in her nature to throw a challenge. She had her own competitive spirit.

The clock tower was magnificently and beautifully crafted. She'd definitely mark this place on her worlds she wouldn't mind revisiting list.

Deciding that going up from the outside would be faster than going up the stairs...ugh, she used her gravity magic to lift her into the air and up to the clock face. At that point she noticed a small corridor looking area just above it and landed there before turning to look at the city below her. It was a magnificent sight. It had been forever since she was last in a city filled with light from homes and businesses and it made her feel rather depressed while lifting her spirits at the same time. It took a little bit, but she managed to pull her mind from the view in order to focus on locating the clump of hearts that would be her heartless target. After awhile, she noticed something moving off to her side and she turned to see a boy with short white hair glaring at her in a defensive stance.

"Who are you?" he demanded. "How did you get up here?"

"Whoa, easy there," Thorn said immediately. "I come in peace. Didn't expect anyone else to be up here." Upon closer inspection of the boy, Thorn nearly gasped in surprise. She'd seen this boy's face before, in Sora's heart. It was his best friend, Riku. "You're…" She stopped herself.

"What?" he asked caught off guard by the look of recognition on her face. "Do you know me?"

Thorn shook her head. "No, not really." She couldn't allow herself to get involved in this, it was none of her business. It was disturbing, however, how dark the boy's hart was. Filled with anger, jealousy, resentment and feelings of betrayal. "Are you up here all by yourself?"

"Maybe I am," he muttered not revealing anything. He didn't have to say anything though, Thorn could see that he was protecting someone who couldn't move. "What do you want up here?"

"I'm simply looking for something," she answered easily hoping her calm attitude would help put him at ease. "I just came up here to get a better look at the surrounding area. What about you? Why come all the way up here?"

The boy relaxed a little and his eyes drifted away looking elsewhere. "This place… just seemed safe."

"Hmm," Thorn said with a light smile. "Well, you're probably right about that."

He looked back at her again. His eyes were almost the same bright green as Axel's. "What's you're name?" he asked her.

Well, no harm in introducing herself, she figured. Granted, she'd have to sponge it away later. "Thorn," she answered. And because it was only polite, she asked, "And yours?"

"Riku," he answered.

She was right, he was the same boy from Sora's heart. She could see his desire to save his friends in his heart as well, though there seemed to be a lot of animosity towards Sora. "You're up here because you lost your world and don't know where to go next huh," she guessed sitting on the edge of the tower. "I lost mine too...and I have no idea if anyone else managed to make it out alright." She looked over at the cautious and lonely looking boy who seemed astounded by her intuition. "Well, I'm not going anywhere for a little while. Why don't you come sit over here and ask me anything you want. I'll answer what I can if it'll help you out."

"I can't," Riku said immediately. He hesitated before speaking again, "Actually, there is someone with me. But she's… sick. So I have to do what I can to take care of her."

"Would you mind if I took a look at her?" Thorn asked. "Maybe I can help." So much for not getting involved. Her and her damn bleeding heart.

Riku pondered this for several minutes. At last he nodded and asked her to follow him. He led her inside of the clock tower where a young girl sat. She had short red hair, and bright blue eyes that were staring off into nothingness. Her body was completely limp and Thorn could see why. Her heart was missing, and she knew where it was.

"This girl lost her heart," she commented, causing Riku to stare at her.

"You can tell?" he asked in amazement. "Please… do you know how to fix her?"

"That's not something I can do, I'm afraid," Thorn told him sadly. At the despairing look on his face she continued, "However…. I can tell you her heart is in a safe place. She's not gone forever."

"Really? So you're saying she can be saved," he demanded looking between her and the limp girl.

"Yes...I'm not completely sure how it would work, but I think all you'd really need to do is find her heart and I guess put it back," she answered thoughtfully. 'Though...why she's like this and not a Nobody is beyond me,' she added in thought.

"Her heart could be anywhere though...how am I supposed to find it?" he demanded angrily.

"Don't give up hope...and keep looking for it," Thorn told him keeping her own emotions in check. "If you can find a way to travel between worlds, then I'm sure you'll find exactly what you're looking for."

Riku stayed silent for several moments as if pondering this. He looked as though he were about to ask her more, but the bell suddenly struck loudly, signifying the beginning of a new hour. As it did so, Thorn saw a large creature come shooting out from hiding. It appeared to be a flying, dragon like creature carrying many hearts inside of it.

"That's my target," she said, watching the creature fly out one of the high windows. She looked down at the silver haired boy who appeared confused. "This is goodbye. It was nice meeting you, Riku."

"Yeah, you too," he replied scrutinizing her.

Thorn turned toward the edge rushing forward to go after her prey, wiping the memory of her from the boy as she did so. It was probably for the best she didn't tell him about Sora. She had a feeling both boys would be in for their own adventure and she had to convince herself she wanted no part in it.

* * *

Four days later…

Axel was lying in bed wide awake. Not because he was in a compromising or awkward position with his bedmate, but because said Somebody was not present. It was past midnight and he'd been sleeplessly waiting for her to show. Sometimes he'd doze for a few minutes but wake up again only to find her still not there. Axel didn't know why having the bed all to himself would cause him to be restless. He could only guess he was just so used to having her there by now that her absence just felt wrong.

"Normally she would have been here three hours ago," he thought to himself. She's never missed a night before. Did she need a break from him? Was it possible she was sleeping with someone else?

No he was sure that wasn't the case, she'd already tried everyone else she wouldn't mind being with and failed. She wouldn't be sleeping alone either, she hated being alone. So then what was it? The thoughts kept coming making him more and more uncertain about her whereabouts until he gave up trying to sleep without her and got up. He'd start looking for her in her room because at this hour he couldn't imagine her being anywhere else...but what in the world could she be doing?

It didn't take him very long to travel down the hallway to her room, and when he reached it he pushed the door open and went inside without knocking. When he did, he was relieved to find her sitting on the only chair in the room doing something he couldn't see. He walked up behind her surprised she hadn't noticed him yet and found that she had a pad and a pencil in her hand. On the paper was a very detailed and accurate picture of Luxord. After a moment she seemed satisfied with her work...then she started driving the end of the pencil into the hands of the NOBODY.

Axel was rather startled by this and continued to watch until both hands were mutilated beyond recognition white the rest of it remained untouched.

"Feel better?" he asked sarcastically getting her attention.

"Oh," she said looking up at him. "Hey, Axel. Yeah, I feel much better."

"So, what did the game master do that made you want to turn his hands into pin cushions?" he asked still looking at the drawing.

"You'd feel the same way if you played fifty rounds of poker and black jack with him," she stated in her defense.

Well, he couldn't argue with her there. He'd played cards with Luxord before and the guy was a card shark. He knew how to play the game as well as the other player. "I suppose, but what would make you want to play for that long?"

Thorn looked guiltily down at the picture. "I…. kinda lost a bet with him, and the deal was I had to do what he said for a whole day." Even though she had found the stupid monster, Luxord had ended up being the one defeating him. He did still end up giving her his card deck though, as a 'participation prize'.

"First rule of dealing with Luxord, don't bet anything with him," Axel stated with amusement. "He knows how to stack the deck in his favor."

"So I noticed," she sighed stretching. "I was playing his games until he finally let me go about 20 minutes ago. I would have gone right to bed but I really needed to vent first." A thought suddenly struck her as she looked up at Axel, a teasing smile on her face. "Is that why you're here? Did you miss me?"

"Not a chance," Axel replied shaking his head. "Though I had to figure out what you were doing at this hour."

"Well, now you know." Thorn stared at the drawing for a little bit longer before holding the notebook out to him. "Would you like to take a glance through? Get a sneak peak at my inner workings?"

Axel would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little curious. He took the booklet from her and began flipping through it. A lot of the pages had writing talking about her day and what it consisted of. To go with them were illustrations of the different organization members. Some were pleasant sketches, but most were rather gruesome depictions of the members having something horrific happening to them. As Axel flipped through he noticed Larxene and Vexen seemed to have the most drawings of the latter nature.

'Geez,' Axel thought looking over the drawings. 'Most of these are pretty morbid.' He stopped on a page that looked particularly gruesome albeit humorous. "I kind of like this one," he said pointing to a picture of Larxene's face getting scratching off by a monkey heartless. It was right next to Vexen getting crushed by a two ton rock.

"Yeah, I must have had a stroke of genius that day," she chuckled a bit as she watched his face.

He laughed a little as well before continuing to go through the book. The next time he paused was for a day from about two weeks before. He looked at it for a time making Thorn curious, so she peaked over the edge before attempting to turn the page for him.

"There are a few more really good destroy Larxene pictures if you keep going," she said, her face turning the slightest bit pink while her expression remained the same.

"Hang on," Axel said pulling it out of her reach. It was a drawing of him. There was nothing particularly interesting about it at first glance. It was just a close up sketch of his head and shoulders. The expression on the face was casual but the lips carried a ghost of a smile. Something about it though, when he looked at it, seemed to say a lot more. "You really think I look this cool?" he asked with a smile.

Thorn's cheeks darkened as she inwardly cursed herself for not tearing that page out. "It's just you, whatever else you see is all in your head."

"Then why are you blushing so much?" he asked grinning widely.

"I'm not blushing...I just tend to look redder than normal when I'm tired that's all," she replied brushing off his teasing. Inside however, her head was screaming. 'He saw it...there's no way he doesn't know now...say goodbye to sleeping with him anymore.'

Meanwhile, Axel was laughing lightly while he continued to flip through the book not really seeing the rest of it. His thoughts were wondering why she'd have that on the day they'd returned from their 5 day long mission. From there, his mind touched on the memory of her having that fever and declaring him to be hot. At this point he had to force himself to believe there was no connection and that even if there was he would not act on it...he would NOT act on it.

"Alright, I think I've seen enough," he stated at last, shutting the notebook closed and tossing it on her mattress. "So, ready for bed?"

Thorn looked up at him. "You mean with you?"

Axel rolled his eyes. "No I meant with the leader. Who do you think?" He shook his head smiling. "Unless you don't want to."

Thorn stood up. "No, I do…" she gave an exaggerated shrug. "I mean, you know, if you're still cool with it."

"Come on," he said wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Let's get some sleep."

Thorn smiled as he led her out of her room towards his. It wasn't much, but the idea that after seeing that he still wanted her sleeping with him, gave her a really good feeling. It seemed like in no time they were back in his room where she removed her cloak and curled up with him under the covers. She must have been more tired than she though because almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

Axel lay facing her and he draped an arm over her waist, convincing himself it was casual. He could feel the rhythmic rise and fall of her diaphragm in time with her faint breathing.

'Yeah,' he thought, resisting the tiniest urge to pull her closer. 'This feels right.'

* * *

CM: Can I have an 'awwwww' and a 'squeeee'! If any of you would like to see the sketch of Axel, it's on my deviantart account. My pen name is exactly the same there, CopperMoon.

So yeah, we got to meet Riku. I wonder who else will pop up in the future? :P And just what is it the Organization is plotting? And to you Luxord fans out there, you're welcome.


	20. Weight

**Chapter 20: Weight**

It was a day or two later that Thorn found her self wandering the halls of the castle that never was. She had just been given a break from Vexen with strict orders to return after a couple hours and she knew that no one had returned from their missions yet so she decided to go visit the only person there that she knew wouldn't be on one. After a time, she paused in front of the door she was looking for and calmly pushed it open.

"Hey, Zexion, mind if I come and hang out for a bit?" she asked as she entered smiling at the boy sorting through his shelf overflowing with books. As she came in, she noticed that Zexion wasn't alone and looked over a the wall to see Lexaeus sitting on the floor with a couple pieces of metal in his hands that he was working on untangling. "Uh...maybe I'll just come back later."

"Don't be absurd," Zexion said looking up from his task and giving her a faint smile. "We don't mind the extra company."

Lexaeus released a low grunting noise which Thorn could only guess was a suggestion of agreement.

"Well, alright then," she said coming in and shutting the door. Zexion seemed preoccupied at the moment so she walked over to where Lexaeus was sitting and took a seat a couple feet away from him.

She watched him fiddling with the pieces of metal and she had to ask, "I don't think I've seen that before. Is that some sort of puzzle?"

He didn't answer verbally but he inclined his head once.

"Hmm...are you any good at those?" she asked watching his movements.

As if in answer, at that moment he finished and was able to separate all three pieces.

"I'll take that as a yes. I have to admit I'm impressed. I don't think I could do something like that."

At her declaration, Lexaeus reached into his pocket and pulled out another one before handing it to her. "Try it," he said. His voice deep and rumbling.

Thorn took it with a soft thank you as her mind focused on the voice she had until then not heard. It was very pleasing to her ears and out of boredom as well as politeness, she started fiddling with the puzzle in her hand.

For several minutes the room was quiet save for the clinking of metal and the turning of a page. "So I've been wondering," Thorn said suddenly. She was a little startled when he glanced up at her, as if waiting for her to ask so she did. "How come there are only twelve of you?"

Ever since the mission where she met Riku, she'd been wrestling with a growing sense of hopelessness. In spite of having visited many worlds and fighting countless heartless, she'd still yet to locate her friends' hearts. It would be nice if she could find at least a trace of them, any at all.

Lexaeus took his time coming up with an answer and Thorn noted that the sounds of Zexion working had stopped. "A NOBODY is formed when a heart is removed from the body," he began. "Because of this...the type of NOBODY is determined by the strength of the person's heart. For one like us to form, the heart would have had to be exceptionally strong."

"I see, then if there's not enough strength in the heart, they could end up as one of those wriggling silvery looking things," Thorn murmured in understanding.

"Dusks," Lexaeus corrected. "But yes."

"I understand," she said holding the puzzle in both hands. So then, what kind of NOBODY would her friends have become? She had no idea and began to wonder if they would have been strong enough to become a humanoid one...or if she would become like that if it ever happened. Again, she was back to square one.

There was no way for her to identify the shells of her friends if they turned into anything less than what the organization members were. So even if she managed to find their hearts… what then?

* * *

Axel just got back from his mission when he was unexpectedly approached by Zexion. It wasn't as though the two were on bad terms but, they weren't exactly best buds either. The red head couldn't remember a time the book worm approached him unless it was some sort of emergency.

Turns out, that's exactly what it was.

"Thorn has left the castle."

Axel's eyes widened at this but he tried to tell himself that it wasn't as bad as it sounded. "Where did she go and who's with her?" he asked trying to ignore the uneasiness rising inside of him. "She's down in the city," Zexion explained making Axel feel a little better. "And she's alone."

"Why didn't you go after her?" Axel demanded knowing how much trouble she'd be in if anyone else found out.

"You know I don't work that way," Zexion replied. "But I did feel it was best to let you know before anyone else. You two seem to have a very strong connection after all."

"Gee, thanks," Axel replied with a sarcasm sure not to be missed by the illusionist.

Zexion ignored it and turned away, clearing marking his business as done. "Do hurry," he told him. "I would rather not see what became of her if one of the highest were to find out."

As he watched the silver haired male he thought, 'well, wasn't this a sight'. The bookworm actually concerned for someone other than himself or Lexaeus? There could only be one person to blame for the strange behaviors of the other members. Axel wondered if he himself was experiencing it and not even aware of it.

He figured that Zexion was right so he immediately headed down into the city looking for her. He was sure that he'd better find her fast so he could just say he took her out for a bit. When he arrived, the city was as dark as ever, filled with the neon lights from the tall buildings. Off in the distance he could hear thunder and new a storm was rolling in.

"Perfect," he thought. "As if things weren't bad enough."

For the next ten/twenty minutes he went up and down the streets looking for her without any success. Then he finally caught the sound of some music and followed it, sure she'd be where it was.

In the otherwise still and silent city, the faint notes of a song carried through the empty streets. He looked up and around until he spotted a figure standing atop one of the higher buildings. Axel teleported up to the rooftop and there she was standing next to the edge, looking out onto the city. He was about to call her attention, and then he realized the music was coming from her. It was a low, soft, sweet melody with the promise of a sad story. And then she began to sing:

_"Lost in the darkness, hoping for a sign. Instead there's only silence, can't you hear my screams? Never stop hoping, need to know where you are. But one thing's for sure, you're always in my heart."_

As Axel listened to the words sung in the smooth lilt of her voice, his skin began to crawl. He rubbed his arms. The song was what you'd expect hearing the melody, sad. But her voice was…. Beautiful.

_"I'll find you somewhere, I'll keep on trying, until my dying day. I just need to know, whatever has happened, the truth will free my soul." _

The words washed over him and he couldn't help but imagine her three friends standing in front of her as she sang. It was almost as if she was promising them she wouldn't give up while convincing herself there was a chance. He waited until her song was finished before finally walking toward her.

"You know...leaving the castle on your own will only get you into trouble," he murmured leaning over the edge as he spoke. Then he glanced over at her and wasn't really surprised to find her face had an expression of sadness on it...though it was clear she was trying to hide it.

"I know," she replied, voice barely above a whisper. "I just needed to get out for a while." She paused for a moment, as if trying to recount something. "I've been here about two months, right?"

"Sounds about right," Axel confirmed.

Thorn sat down on the ledge of the building, staring down at the pavement below. "I've visited a lot of worlds."

Axel could tell they weren't leaving anytime soon, so he took a seat beside her. "Yeah, you sure have."

"And I've… made some good friends." Her voice cracked a little as she said this.

Axel's head dipped as he got the sensation of a huge weight settling over him. "No questions there."

"And yet I...I still haven't found them...any of them," she whispered doing all she could to keep her head from drooping in despair. "Other than a heartless has their hearts I have nothing to go on. I don't even know what type to look for."

"So, you're giving up then?"

"NO!" she nearly shouted. Then she slumped forward a bit and sighed. "I can't give up on them...I can never give up on them. They were all I had for so long...and I know they'd never give up on me."

"There you go then," Axel told her encouragingly. "If that's what you've decided on, then stick to that. It might take you days, months, maybe even years. But you're bound to find them sooner or later." He chanced a glance over at her. "Better than doing nothing, right?"

Thorn didn't look at him but the despair on her face seemed to have lessened a little. "Yeah, you're right," she said with a nod. "Thanks."

He saw a black streak trail from her eye down her cheek and on impulse he reached over and pulled her hood up. "It's gonna rain soon," he said looking away from her. "Don't want you getting sick again."

Thorn smiled at him lightly at this and murmured, "I'm not that weak. I can stand in the rain without getting sick." She heard him chuckle a little as something small landed on her head. She could tell it was raining without looking up and almost reached up to pull the hood down, but stopped when her head was pressed against something solid.

"We can stay out here a little longer if you want," she heard him murmur as the rain picked up. "But it's getting pretty cold."

"Yeah...it is," she whispered lightly gripping his cloak.

Axel held her there against him and after a few minutes her body shook silently against him. He rubbed a hand up and down her side, knowing he'd said and done all he could. Now he needed to just wait until she had enough control back to look up at him and smile, as if everything was okay. Then they would go back to the castle and everything would be like it was before.

Just as well… out of all the expression he's seen her wear, he liked it best when she smiled.

* * *

The next day, Thorn seemed to have bounced back from her slump, which was a bit of a relief for Axel. One moody girl in the castle was enough. There was something else bugging him though. For several weeks now he'd been feeding information about Thorn to Vexen. He also occasionally let Saix in on what Vexen was doing, courtesy of Thorn's fuming rants. At first he really hadn't thought twice about it. Lately though, he'd been getting an odd weight in his stomach each time, and the information just didn't seem to come out as easily as it used to.

It was as if… maybe, he felt like he was betraying her? Why should that even matter?

Okay, he himself said it, they were friends. You didn't normally spill your friend's secrets to others. Especially to those who just want to use said friend for whatever their aims were. That would explain a lot. However, that would also mean he was experiencing guilt. Not possible, since he was a Nobody after all.

On his way back to hs room, he stopped at Saix's door and knocked. It was that time again. Might as well get it over with.

The door opened and the blue haired member silently stepped aside, to let him in. "You're late."

"Good to see you too, Saix ol' pal," Axel commented strolling into the unadorned room.

Saix shut the door before turning to look at him. "So what have you found?"

Straight to business as usual.

"She's been feeling down lately because she hasn't found any sign of her friends yet," Axel answered after a moment. "You know, those three guys from her own world." He was going to say more, about how she'd been using the missions as means to locate her friends and about her trip into the city, but decided there was no point. "She also hates hanging around Vexen and thinks her training on maipulating hearts is pointless."

"What is it exactly Vexen is having her do?" Saix inquired.

Axel scratched his head. "Apparantly he wants to see if she can remove a heart from a heartless. Beyond that, I don't know."

Saix touched the crook of his finger to his chin, eyes gazing at nothing as he pondered this. "I can only imagine he's working under the leader's commands. But what could he possibly be after?"

The red head shrugged. "Search me." In all honesty, he really didn't care about any of that.

"Has he made any discoveries as to how or why she can see hearts?" Saix pressed. "Or if the ability could be learned?"

He shook his head. "She doesn't even know why."

Saix looked at him. "Is she still frequenting your bed at night?"

Axel looked away uncomfortably. Did they really have to talk about that? "I don't see the problem with it. It's not like we do anything." Not that Axel hadn't thought about it on numerous occasions now.

"I understand that," Saix muttered not wanting to think of what the two of them might do. "I was simply referring to the idea that doing so brings her even closer to you and makes her willing to tell you more."

"Well, yeah," Axel said with a shrug. "But you can't exactly expect her to tell me something she doesn't know the answer her herself. Besides, she said before that she's always been able to. It's not exactly easy to figure out the reason when you don't even know when it started."

"What of her lineage?"

"She's an orphan." He was tempted to add on, 'just like you and me' but didn't. The silence that followed made Axel wonder if Saix was thinking it anyway.

"Very well. I shall go speak to Vexen about her progress. In the mean time, I might be sending you on an important mission soon." He briefly summarized the mission before telling him, "Be prepared."

Axel inwardly groaned. With Saix, 'I might' translated to 'it's going to happen'. "Thanks for the heads up," he said before leaving to go back to his own room.

It was getting to the point where he really looked forward to going to bed. At least there was one person who didn't expect things from him.

* * *

"No, try it again."

Thorn had been in Vexen's lab for the past several hours working on studying the hearts from another captured heartless and she was starting to get really tired. For the past two hours Vexen had gotten about all he could from the hearts and was drilling her in manipulating the hearts. She sighed for what felt like the millionth time that day focused once again on the hearts in front of her. Then she picked one out and forcefully moved the others away from it physically isolating it within the heartless. Then she murmured a gravity spell and began pulling it out of the heartless. She continued to pull, forcing it through the side of the heartless until it was starting to become visible...then all at once her strength gave out and it slid back inside.

"You almost had it," Vexen noted dispassionately as he watched her double over from the exertion.

Thorn stood hunched with her hands on her knees, trying to stop the trembling in her legs. She'd never before tried to combine both her magic and her heart seeing abilities. So she never would have imagined how draining it would be just to try to segregate one from its container. Her vision was getting fuzzy and she blinked and shook her head, willing herself not to pass out.

Vexen appeared to notice she reached her limit. "Hmm, I suppose that will be all for the day," he spoke, turning away from her to review his notes. "You may go."

'Gladly,' she thought before straightening up and carefully putting one foot in front of the other until she was out of the lab.

Her knees folded and she took a few moments to sit and get her energy back. She dug a potion out of her cloak and gulped it down. It helped a little, clearing her vision up and restoring some of her strength.

As she sat there, legs splayed across the floor, she heard footsteps approaching and had to force herself to look up at who it could be. The last thing she needed was someone she didn't like finding her like this.

"Unless you wish to become a floor mat for the entire castle I suggest taking your breaks in the Gray room," the person muttered derisively. Thorn finally managed to make the person come into focus and was surprised and upset to find that it was Saix.

"I slipped on this damn pristine floor," she retorted pushing herself up onto her feet. "Why are you all the way out here? Have all the members returned already?" She hoped that maybe she could have a somewhat civil conversation with him while at the same time hoping that Axel was already back so she could avoid the Gray room and just go back to his.

"Considering the hour, I would certainly think so," Saix stated as if it were obvious. "As to why I am here, that is no concern of yours."

Thorn never could understand why Saix didn't like her. At first she thought it was all in her head but by this point she was pretty sure it wasn't. The way he spoke to her and looked at her seem to carry a certain malice he lacked with everyone else.

"Okay, then," she said, trying to keep a civil tongue. "Do you by any chance happen to have any missions lined up for me in the near future?" She left out mentioning she needed a serious break from both the lab and the scientist who frequented it.

"I might have one for you soon," he replied shortly. "Until then you will continue to work with Vexen and improve your abilities." With that he went through the lab door closing it behind him with a snap.

"Geeze, I was just asking," she muttered under her breath.

She did get one thing she wanted though...going to the Gray room would be utterly pointless now. So, she headed off down the hallway at a quick enough pace so as not to tire herself out again but still be able to make good time. In a short amount of time, she made it to Axel's room and eased the door open. He was already lying on the bed with his hands behind his head.

"You're late," he chuckled when she came in. "What, Vexen putting you through the loops again?"

"Doesn't he always?" she asked closing the door behind her and removing her cloak. She headed over to his bed and collapsed forward onto it, her face burying itself into the pillow. "I'm so exhausted...we spent more than two hours trying to increase what I can do with hearts."

"Any luck?" he asked curiously. When she answered her words were completely muffled. "You know I can't understand pillow talk."

Thorn turned her head sideways so that she wasn't talking straight into the pillow. "I said I almost did something, but I kind of fell short at the end," she muttered.

"Bummer," he said before patting her shoulder. "Well you'll be happy to know I got a big mission coming up soon, and I might be able to convince Saix into putting you on with me."

Thorn sat up immediately. "Seriously?"

Axel nodded, smiling at her enthusiasm. "Yeah, there's a breed of heartless that's getting a bit too big for its britches so they're sending me out to do population control. I doubt it'll take much to convince ol' Saix the sooner it's dealt with the better, and with you there the time it takes will be more than halved."

"I'm glad you have so much confidence in me," she smiled. Her eyes slipped closed for a moment as she drew closer to him and lay over his arm. "Will he really though? He doesn't seem to like me very much."

"Naw it'll be fine," Axel assured her waving her worries out the window. "And once we're done with that, we can go grab some ice cream again. You do want some more ice cream right?"

"Yeah, as long as it's that one you got me last time, it was really good," Thorn replied softly. Her exhaustion was catching up to her again and she felt her consciousness slipping. "It'll be nice...to get a break from Vexen...for awhile."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Axel agreed, absentmindedly rubbing her back.

"I just don't get why Saix hates me so much," she mumbled, feeling herself drifting off. "What'd I ever do to him?"

Axel chuckled softly. "Haven't I said it before? He doesn't have a heart to hate you with. None of us do."

"By that logic, none of you can like me either," Thorn mumbled.

Axel didn't answer straight away, as though he needed to think seriously about what she was suggesting. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't NOT like you," he said finally. That much he was sure of.

Thorn let out a few hmphs of amusement unable to bring herself to do much more. "I guess that'll do," she murmured against him. "Hey, Axel, what do you think...they'll have me do...once I can...manipulate hearts?"

Axel paused for a moment to think the question over. He really had no idea was Xemnas and Saix had in store for her, but he was sure that as long as she didn't pose a threat she'd be well taken care of. "Not sure," he answered slowly. "But I don't think you'll have to worry about it. You'll be just fine."

She hummed against his chest in response but didn't say any more as she slipped away into dreamland. Axel continued rubbing his hand across her back. He knew that since he didn't have a heart, he couldn't like or dislike her. But he was sure if he did have one, he probably would like her. A lot. She gave him a sense of peace, helped him forget about that void inside of him he was constantly feeling. With her, he didn't feel quite so empty. Maybe it was because… she had a heart and it was affecting him? He shook his head. Who knew? The only ones who'd probably be able to speculate on this would be either Vexen or Zexion and Axel didn't feel terribly inclined to ask either of them.

He felt that weird hum and suddenly he was aware his hand had come to rest on something soft and squishy. As soon as he did, he felt her hand come up and smack him in the nose.

"Hmm...bad monkey. I said no," she mumbled sleepily.

The sudden attack made him withdraw his hand and use the other to rub his sore nose. "What was that about?" he thought looking down at her as she continued to breathe evenly on his shoulder. As he continued to watch her, looking for signs that she was indeed awake, his eyes wandered back to her front. "What the hell is wrong with me?" he wondered, letting his hand go limp against the mattress. "I was right. I am a terrible friend."

* * *

CM: Aw, poor thing. :) Yeah, so why am I smiling? Cuz I'm sadistic like that. Stay tuned and don't forget to review! :P

Note: We realized only after posting that we'd left out something we wanted to do so here it is. Sorry about the confusion.

Disclaimer: The lyrics of the song in this chapter are from Somewhere by Within Temptation, which we do not own.


	21. Realization

**Chapter 21: Realization**

The next morning was a large disappointment. Thorn went to see Saix first thing and was greeted with him telling her she'd be with Vexen again that day. She was seriously getting irritated with the man and really didn't want to deal with him again. Nontheless, she soon found herself back in his lab once again attempting to seperate out a single heart before trying to pull it out.

The entire time, Vexen was taking notes on everything she did as well as noting everything he found about the individual hearts. He was getting better and faster at identifying what each piece of the heart was and found he was able to understand how the individual would react in different situations.

"I still can't seem to get it out," Thorn sighed after the hundredth try. She was beginning to feel the fatigue come on and really wanted to leave, but she knew Vexen wouldn't allow her a break unless she was about to keel over.

"You've been getting closer with each attempt," Vexen told her objectively. "You just need to continue narrowing in on what it is that's helping you to succeed. Now try again."

Thorn stifled a groan as she straightened up and prepared to once more draw a heart out of the heartless in front of her. Before she got started, Demyx came running in.

"Hey, old man!" he said skidding to a stop.

"Be more respectful when addressing your elders, boy," Vexen spat irritably. "And who gave you permission to come here?"

"Saix was asking for you," Demyx said quickly. "He said he needed to discuss something important and he said RIGHT NOW."

"Of all times," Vexen muttered. "Just because he's second in command he acts as though our numbers are reversed." He left the room, not even bothering to tell Thorn to stay put until he got back.

"Sucker," Demyx said with a laugh once the scientist was gone. "He's not so smart after all, huh?"

"Demyx...why are you really in here?" Thorn asked disconnecting herself from the machine. "I'm assuming Saix really has nothing for Vexen."

"Heehee, exactly," Demyx laughed triumphantly. "This was just so I could bail you out. It's been how many days in a row now?"

"About 4," Thorn answered smiling at the sandy blonde boy.

"Exactly, you need a break and I'm delivering it," Demyx exclaimed grabbing her hand and pulling her out the door. "Now let's get out of here quickly before Vexen finds out."

"Demyx...you're a moron," Thorn laughed. But she was very grateful to him...she really did need the break.

"Well, I made sure Saix was out, so Vexen will be searching around for a while," Demyx told her with a grin as they left the lab.

"Won't you get in trouble for this?" she asked him

"Eh, probably," he answered. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a comb and started running it through his mullet. "But the most they'll do is tag on another mission to my work load."

"You hate work more than anything," Thorn said as they walked up a set of stairs.

"Yeah, but I've found I also hate playing alone," Demyx said lowering the comb and looking at her. "Lately you've been so busy and you're too tired afterwards to do anything else. I wanted my jam buddy back for a bit."

"Gotcha," Thorn said with a small laugh. "We better get started asap then."

"Yeah, you bet!" he said happily. He took her to a part of the castle she didn't go often that was very open and she had to admit sounded like it had great acoustics. "This is the best place to go because Vexen never comes in here and when he figures it out he'll go right to my room. This way he'll have to search around for a bit."

Thorn chuckled lightly. She had to admit, for an idiot he really thought that through. She couldn't help but feel impressed by his intuitiveness though she was sure it took a few days to figure it out. "So, does this mean you have another song for me to sing?"

"Yep, here ya go," he said handing her a paper with writing on it. Thorn scanned it for a moment before smiling back at him. Demyx got a large grin on his own face and started playing the melody that went to it.

Thorn listened to it once through, then sang the notes the second time around. By the third time through she was ready to voice the lyrics. The song was very intense and upbeat, and she felt like she was back on stage in the old run down or shady clubs she and her friends used to perform in for extra cash. The stage was always a place where she could let loose and express. Demyx seemed to be having the time of his life and he played his instrument with such conviction and feeling that Thorn could scarcely believe there was still no heart to be seen from him. He didn't need one, though it seemed. His heart, his feeling, was all in his music.

Just as they were reaching the high point of the song, Demyx's playing abruptly cut off in the middle of his solo. "Aw man!" he exclaimed. "One of the strings broke."

"I'm sorry," Thorn conveyed going over to him and taking a look at the sitar. She could see the string in question had snapped in the middle.

"Is there any way your magic can fix it?" he asked looking up at her hope filling his eyes.

She shook her head. "Unfortunately all of my magic is for fighting," she expressed sadly. "I don't know how to fix something like this. But it is your weapon...won't it just sort of, have a new string if you make it disappear and reappear?"

"It doesn't work like that," he muttered dejectedly. "I won't be able to use it until tomorrow. That's how long it takes."

"I see...well, can I have the string then?" she asked putting on her most inviting smile. "I'd really like it if you let me have it."

Demyx blinked at her. "Uh, sure I guess so," he said and began working to unwind it from its peg. "Don't know why you'd want something broken though."

"It might be able to be used for playing anymore but I can use it for something else," Thorn told him clandestinely.

In a few minutes the broken pieces were undone and he handed them over. "Well, I won't be able to do much playing now," he said in disappointment. "But you'll still sing for me, right?"

Thorn pocketed the broken string and nodded. "Sure, as long as I can."

* * *

It was the very next morning that Thorn found herself waking up surprisingly early. She had no idea what time it was, but she was unable to go back to sleep so she got up without disturbing her bed mate, put her cloak back on and left the room. The halls were quiet for once as she made her way to the Gray room. She had nowhere else to go really and she didn't want to wake anyone up either.

When she finally made it, she wasn't at all surprised to find that Saix wasn't present seeing as how it was so early. Instead she spotted one of the members she hadn't had much of a chance to get to know, the tall stern looking man with long black hair.

"Uh...hi there, you're Xaldin...right?" she asked trying to get his attention.

"What is the heartseer doing roaming the halls so early in the morning?" He asked disregarding her inquiry. His voice was low and sleek. Almost oily.

Thorn remembered what little information she'd managed to gather on this big guy. Like Saix he wasn't known for his friendliness. Demyx had told her best to just avoid him at all costs if she could. Thorn however felt if she was going to be her for an indefinite period of time she may as well get better familiarized with those who she'd been neglecting since her arrival. She might as well start with this guy.

"Just waiting for everyone else to wake up," she replied with a shrug. "And it's Thorn, by the way." She'd never been a fan of nicknames or titles, endearing or otherwise.

"You believe you've earned the right to a name here?" Xaldin asked looking at her with narrowed violet eyes.

"Yes," Thorn said slowly. "And it's common courtesy. I'm sure you wouldn't appreciate me calling you Number 3."

"I'd rather you not call me at all," Xaldin retorted. "I have no interest or need in dealing with you." With that he summoned a portal and vanished.

"Hey, wait I just want to..." she stopped as he disappeared. "Fine, be a jerk about it. Hopefully I never end up on a mission with him." She sighed heavily. If the other members were as hard to talk to as this, it was clear she wasn't going to be able to befriend them all.

Let's see… she thought, counting from the names and numbers she'd learned over her time there. According to Marluxia the numbers indicated the time of joining. There was number one, their leader, Xemnas. From what she heard, not even other members saw him outside of meetings, so he was out. Number two was Xibar, whom she'd yet to really interact with. She'd only seen him in passing. Xaldin was three, he just blew her off. Lexaeus and Zexion were five and six and she was already forming good rapports with them. Number seven, Saix, was another story. Then eight was Axel, nine Demyx, ten Luxord, eleven Marluxia and twelve Larxene.

So it was about half the people she either didn't know very well or didn't care to know.

Thorn heard someone come in and looked up to see the trademark blue hair. She stood up and his civility stretched only as far as to acknowledge her with a glance.

"You'll be working with Axel today," he told her forwardly. "When he arrives I expect you both to leave immediately."

"Uh...sure," she murmured watching him walk right passed her and over to the large windows. She figured she had a little time before then so she might as well try again. "So um...how has your day gone so far? Mine's been pretty slow." She watched him and was slightly put out when his serious face didn't so much as twitch.

She was about to say something else when Axel walked into the room. "So you're already here, you must have woken up really early to have beaten me here," he chuckled. Then he noticed the look on the blue haired man's face and decided to get to business. "So what's on the agenda for today?"

Saix was brief and to the point as always. "There's a band of heartless getting out of control. Your mission…"

"Let me guess, get them under control."

"It's comforting to know you're at least capable of paying attention."

While his words were sarcastic Thorn was sure Saix's demeanor had softened just a sliver. Or was she just imagining it? She was pulled from her ruminating by a slap on the back from Axel.

"Well, might as well get started right away then," he said looking down at her. "You got everything you need?"

Thorn confirmed this with a nod and he opened a portal for the two of them. When they emerged Thorn had to steady herself as her footing was off balanced by a shifting underneath her shoes. The unsteady surface turned out to be sand. They were on a beach. Thorn glanced around and saw not far away was a castle.

"Wow, that's pretty amazing," she murmured.

"Not as amazing as you trying to make small talk with Saix," Axel said with a laugh.

"What, it's not like I had anything else to ask him about," she muttered in her own defense. "Besides even if I had a more pertinent question for him I doubt he'd answer it. It's as I said before, he hates me." She looked up at Axel who was about to reply and she just rolled her eyes. "Right he can't hate because he has no heart. Well the fact is he blows me off no matter what I try to talk to him about. Even if it's just a friendly hello. Explain that."

"I'm sure it's just because you have something that he wants but doesn't have," Axel told her amused by her own correction. She was starting to learn.

"And what could I possibly have that he would want?" she demanded.

"A heart."

The answer hung in the air as Thorn began to realize what he was getting at. It's because she was still herself. She still had her heart. She could still feel her emotions without anything getting in her way. She was still...human.

"What's with that face?" Axel asked as he observed her.

"Nothing," Thorn said shaking her head. "I just… feel stupid for not seeing it sooner."

"Don't think on it too much," Axel told her as he began leading the way down the beach. "Saix has always been distant from everyone. He keeps to himself and doesn't let anyone else in. It's best to just not take it so personally."

"Yeah, I suppose I should be used to people giving me dirty looks," Thorn muttered as she walked beside him.

"What do you mean?" he asked curiously.

Thorn quickly shook her head. "Forget it. Just talking to myself."

Axel couldn't for the life of him figure out what she meant by her being used to dirty looks but decided not to press. He knew he'd hear about it eventually. She's told him just about everything else and he even discovered the secret Demyx was so proud of having; at least he was sure that her singing was the secret he'd mentioned. "Well, we'd better get moving," he said picking up his pace as he led the way toward the city. "The faster we drop the heartless the sooner we can get to that ice cream."

"Heh, right," Thorn nodded as she dashed after him. "So what kind of heartless make up this gang Saix was talking about?"

"Well, I'm not sure gang is really the right word for it," Axel said scratching his head. "This place has become a hot spot for Bubble Beats. They're a water variety of the Crescendo heartless. In case you've forgotten, those are the ones that have horns and bounce around making a bunch of racket."

"Oh, those things," Thorn said in recall. "Yeah, they're a pain."

"Exactly, but not because they themselves are tough," Axel told her. "So can you guess why a large group of them would be bad?"

"Does it have anything to do with their ability to call other heartless?" Thorn asked knowledgably.

"Exactly," Axel nodded. "Imagine what would happen if all of them called heartless here at the same time."

"The place would be swarming and then possibly be drawn into darkness completely," Thorn acknowledged nodding her head. "Well, then I guess I have an idea for the plan of attack. If we get anywhere near them they'll sound their alarm. So I'll just hit them with a silence spell from afar while you destroy them. I'll have to stay focused on trying to get them all silenced to avoid any unnecessary extra guests."

"Who made you the plan maker?" Axel asked in mock irritation.

"Well if you have a better plan of attack with a large group of these I'm all ears," she replied with a little taunt in her voice and eyes.

Rather than retort, Axel gave a short laugh. "See that's why I recommended you for this," he commented with a smile. "You make my job so much easier."

Thorn couldn't repress the smile brought about by the compliment. "Glad I could help."

As they made their way around the compound, both noticed the gates were closed, meaning it was possible the kingdom were also taking precautions against the growing groups of heartless. They walked and walked until they located a small cove. Inside, the sounds of the bouncing, squeaking horns could be heard over the crashing of the waves.

"We'll need to act fast," Axel told her. "And we can't let any of them get away. You ready for this?"

"What? You're still talking?" Thorn asked him, readying her magic. "Let's do this already."

She slowly moved forward until she could see the heartless before her and counted them all. There was a good twenty of them in the cave. If even one of them sounded the alarm, there would be mass chaos and the world would be in danger. She took a moment to mentally mark the edges of where the heartless were located and murmured "barrier" under her breath causing all the heartless to be trapped inside a large invisible prison with her and Axel.

"That should keep them from running away," she whispered. "Though I don't know if it'll prevent them from traveling through darkness." She closed her eyes and stretched her hands out in front of her. "I'm going to cast silence over them now, but I can't guarantee it'll last for long so make it quick."

"You got it," Axel murmured as he waited for the spell to be finished.

Once she was done she gave him the okay and he sprung into action. Thorn watched as he landed right in the middle of the frolicking flock of horn shaped heartless and began slashing away. She worked on maintaining both the barrier and silence spells while watching him work. If she could just cast slow on the whole scene she would, just so she could enjoy watching him move that much longer. He seemed to really come alive in the heat of battle.

"Whew, glad that's over," Axel said, hoisting his weapon over his shoulder as his last opponent vanished.

Thorn watched the hearts drift off, another mission a success. She felt Axel clap a hand over her shoulder and she turned her gave to him. "No sense spending anymore time here. Let's head back to the portal."

As they traveled back along the beach, Thorn took her time, gazing out at the endless expanse of blue water. She wondered what sort of life lived in it. She thought about Zidane, Zell, and Irvine. How they probably would have loved to see this.

A gloved handed waved in front of her face, startling her. "Hello? Anybody home?"

Thorn looked up at Axel realizing she'd been so mesmerized she stopped in her tracks.

"What's up with you?" he asked her. "You hit your head or something?"

"Sorry," she mumbled. "I just got a lot on my mind."

Axel's eyebrows knitted together in a frown. It wasn't like her to freely offer an apology. "Well, I'm here if you wanna unload," he told her.

Thorn didn't answer but she stared up at him silently and he tried to discern what was going on behind those grey eyes. Then she wordlessly stepped forward so that they're bodies were close to touching, not breaking eye contact for a second.

Axel was slightly surprised and confused by her sudden desire to be that close to him. They weren't in bed and she wasn't trying to teasingly hit on him so as far as he could see there was no reason for the closeness. But what surprised him even more, was when he himself moved just enough so they were touching before that humming sensation reverberated throughout his body and he quickly turned to walk away.

"So, are you wanting that ice cream or not?" he demanded once he was at a good enough distance.

Thorn kept her face from changing but she did feel really disappointed. She was hoping for a lot more than what he showed her. For a moment it seemed like he was going to close the gap himself which got her excited, but then he had to turn around and retreat. She sighed as she heard him call to her.

"Alright I'm coming," she called back walking over towards him with seeming indifference. She tried to pretend as if she hadn't noticed anything at all...almost like the closeness was an accident. "Just don't forget, I like those fire pops you got last time."

"Don't worry, I got it memorized," he replied laughingly, also acting as though the last few seconds were as nonexistent as he was. The humming sensation steadily died away leaving a series of chills that felt like a storm across his skin. Weird, he thought, resisting the urge to rub his arms, wondering what that was all about.

When they got back to the portal they went to TwilightTown and sat with their ice cream. They were both silent for most of the time. Thorn was mentally beating herself up for trying to pull such a stunt. She'd just felt so alone at that moment and the setting they were in had been so perfect. She'd wanted him to hold her the way he did when they were in bed or the day they were on the rooftop. Not for any specific reason, just for the sake of holding her. Thorn thought maybe for all his talk about not being able to feel she could get him to feel something, and for a split second she thought she had. Now she was worried she'd crossed a line she'd never be able to return from.

"Hey, still got something on your mind?" Axel asked snapping Thorn out of her own thoughts. "Or is the ice cream just that bad?"

She looked down at the pop in her hand that she'd taken only one bite out of while the rest of it was dripping onto her hand. "Just thinking," she said quickly returning to her fire pop licking up the drips before taking another bite. "The fire pop is delicious," she said with a smile. It was really hard to act normally around him anymore.

"Good, I'd hate to see another one go to waste through target practice," he prodded with a laugh. "Why not stop thinking for a bit and try relaxing for a change. Chances are that you won't be able to once we get back. You know how determined Vexen is to further his little experiment."

"Why did you have to remind me?" Thorn groaned let her head drop.

Turned out though, all of Thorn's worries were nothing but wasted energy. She still went to bed with Axel that very same night and she fell asleep wishing she could see what was going on inside the heart he didn't have.

If she could read Axel, she'd know more was going on underneath the calm and casual exterior. As she lay beside him sound asleep he thought about what happened on that beach. Replayed it over and over in his mind, trying to make sense of it. He stared at her calm, sleeping face. He vividly remembered the look in her eyes as she moved closer to him, the feel of her body against his when he inexplicably moved towards her. The odd sensation that followed after. What did it all mean?

As he stared at her, he took in the specific features of her face one at a time. The delicate arch of her eyebrows, thick dark lashes, the soft curvature of her jaw, pale skin that turned color at the drop of a hat, a cute nose… wait cute? And then his eyes finally fell on her ripe lips, barely parted with small puffs of air escaping every time she breathed out.

His eyes focused on her lips as he felt the humming sensation return. It wasn't a sudden happening, instead it spread as such a low speed that at first he didn't even realize it was there. When he finally caught on to its presence, he noticed that he had drawn far too close to her. He could now feel her soft breath on his face and his nose was nearly touching hers. After that he quickly pulled back and lay staring up at the ceiling, refusing to look in her direction.

He got it...that just proved what he'd suspected from the moment the humming had started the first time. He was remembering what it was like to be attracted to someone, and she was the cause of it. Worse of all, he could tell that each time they got into his bed, his control slipped a little more.

"I really am the worst," he thought laying his free arm across his forehead.

* * *

CM: Yay! He finally got it! About damn time, right? Well, realization is the first step. Let's see if it'll go any farther. Thank you all and please continue to read and review. Our goal is 100 reviews before this story is over so please help us out.


	22. Monkey Business

**Chapter 22: Monkey Business**

_"Hey, wait up!" A green eyed boy with spiky red hair chased after another boy with short blue hair. _

_"If you can't keep up I'm going to leave you behind," the blue haired boy said. In spite of his words his slowed to a stop to let the other boy catch his breath. _

_"Aw, come on," the red head said between pants. "You wouldn't really let your best friend get caught alone would you?"_

_"You two, HALT!" a voice shouted at them._

_The red headed boy quickly got back his second wind and started running again. "What're we standing around for? We gotta move!" _

_"Honestly," the blue haired boy muttered before following after his laughing friend. _

* * *

Thorn woke up to find Axel was already gone. Strange… he usually got her up when he did. She sat up and rubbed her head wonderingly. She'd had the strangest dream last night about two boys. One with red hair who looked a lot like Axel, and another boy she didn't quite recognized but at the same time felt familiar. She tried remembering where they'd been and what there were running from, but she couldn't recall.

She realized it must be later than usual so she quickly pushed the dream to the back of her mind and got out of bed. Then after changing, she left the room and headed for the Gray room as fast as possible. When she finally arrived, she found Saix was standing near the windows like usual, but the look on his face was even less pleasant than normal.

"You're late," he accused the moment she approached him.

"Uh yeah," she muttered feeling slightly embarrassed by it but refusing to show it. "I kind of slept in this morning."

"Regardless you have a mission," Saix said quickly not allowing her to waste any more time.

"Really?" she asked surprised and excited. "With who?"

"Xigbar will be accompanying you."

"Ah...well alright," she replied. She felt slightly disappointed but it did give her a chance to get to know another member. "So, where is he?"

Before Saix could answer her, another person entered the room. "Oh, so the great heartseer finally decided to show."

Thorn stiffened and whirled around to see the guy with salt and pepper hair tied back in a ponytail. She had wondered from the first time she saw him what had caused that scar and the need for an eye patch.

As he walked towards her she fidgeted uncomfortably. "I didn't mean to hold things up," she said not wanting to start off a mission with her assigned partner irate with her. "No one woke me up and I just…"

"You don't need to explain anything to me, Angel Face," Xigbar said lazily with a grin. "Let's just get this mission underway."

Thorn frowned, using the time it took for him to reach her to calm herself down. "Don't call me that," she muttered calmly.

"Whatever you say, Angel Face," Xigbar replied with a laugh as he placed a hand on her back. "Well, see ya later old buddy." He waved at Saix as he spoke and pushed Thorn through the summoned portal.

"So, where are we going?" Thorn asked once they were inside the portal.

"You'll just have to wait and see," Xigbar said with a laugh. "I want to see how well you deal with the unknown."

It was a world Thorn hadn't been to before. They emerged in front of a large stone building. Around it stood large pillars, burning torches, and statues of warriors ready to do battle.

"So what are we here for exactly?" Thorn asked looking around.

"Just a little investigation mission, nothing you can't handle I'm sure," Xigbar said with a grin.

The goth turned to look at him. "Why is the Organization so interested in investigating different worlds?" she asked.

"Lots of reasons," he told her vaguely. "You never know when or where another one of us is going to pop up."

"You mean… another Nobody," Thorn inferred.

"Exactly, who else would I be talking about," Xigbar replied.

He ushered her into the building and once she was inside, he disappeared completely. This only proved to irritate her more but she decided to think about it as a bout of good fortune instead and walked around the small room with a doorway at the opposite end. All along the walls were trophies of different sizes and colors. Her curiosity got the better of her and she got closer to one in order to better inspect it.

"Hey, trophies are for champions only, back away," an angry voice shouted at her. She straightened up and turned to see that the voice came from a short man with horns and legs that looked like they came from a goat. "Woah...for you sweet cheeks, I'll show you any trophy you want."

Thorn had to bite back the initial response she wanted to say in reply to that. To her the name Sweet-cheeks was just as bad as Angel-face. Instead she focused on the mission objective. "You said champions. So is this place some kind of arena?"

"You must be new in town," the goat man guessed. "Well, never you worry. My name is Phil, and it is my utmost pleasure to welcome you to the Olympus Coliseum, home to the world's greatest champions and heroes. If you'd like I'd could give you the grand tour," he tacked on a bit too eagerly.

Before Thorn could decline a new arrival came to save the day.

"Phil!" Thorn turned to see a largely built man with reddish hair and lots of muscle come in. "Oh, hey there," he greeted upon seeing her. "Did you come to watch the games?"

"Uh...yeah, watch the games," she replied not sure what they were talking about. She took a quick look at both of their hearts and knew that she wouldn't have to worry too much about having her guard up around them. Though the one called Phil was definitely a perv. "What are the games?" she asked putting on as sweet a voice as she could manage.

"Glad you asked, sweet cheeks," Phil spoke up putting a hand on her leg. She resisted the urge to punt him. "It's a tournament that we put on where the strongest warriors from all over come to compete. But you won't have to worry about them at all, Herc and I will make sure you aren't hurt by them."

"Swell," Thorn replied finding it more and more difficult to not ignore the goat man and kick him as far as possible.

She thought for a moment and suddenly got an idea. "Can anyone participate?"

"Well, you have to go through the basic training," the man named Herc told her. "But, as far as I know, sure."

"I think I'd like to sign up then," Thorn said decisively.

The mage in training wanted to see how much stronger she became since she'd left Yensid. What better way to do it than a tournament? Even if it was more publicity than the Organization probably wanted her to have, it seemed in this place people came and went all the time. Nobody would be suspicious of her or question where she came from.

"Haha...I don't think you'd be able to get very far if you did," Phil laughed. "Better leave the tournament and heroics to the heroes."

"Well then, it shouldn't be a problem if I joined," she said walking passed him towards the doorway. "If I'm not strong enough then the tournament will end early for me."

"I really don't think it's a good idea for a lady such as yourself to even attempt it. I'd really hate to see you get hurt," Phil pointed out.

"Well, aren't you the worrisome one," she laughed. "But I've made up my mind. Now how about you get this basic training started up."

"Give her a shot, Phil," Herc urged him. "I'll bet she's a lot tougher than she looks."

"Alright, you win," Phil conceded before walking of to get things set up for her.

Herc turned to her. "I'm Hercules by the way," he introduced himself.

"Thorn," she replied with an incline of her head.

"Well, Thorn, the training we'll be done setting up in just a few minutes. Talk to Phil when you're ready." Then he headed through the passage to the coliseum.

"Sticking our neck out a little far, aren't we?"

Thorn turned around to see Xigbar there. "Nice of you to show," she said.

"Well, I heard from Flamesilocks that you can get a lot of information from the locals if you're allowed to talk with them," Xigbar explained. "I just didn't think you'd get yourself this involved. But hey, it's more fun for me if I get to see you making a spectacle of yourself. Besides, we're supposed to be on a mission here and you joining may be exactly what we needed."

"Funny," Thorn sighed. "You just don't want to get your hands dirty here do you?"

"As if," Xigbar just laughed. "Well, have fun out there, Angel Face. I'll be rooting for you."

Before Thorn could retort he disappeared. _'I'm not sure what it is but something about that guy just bugs me,'_ she thought darkly. She went through the corridor emerging into a large arena area. The stands were currently empty. Both Phil and Hercules seemed to be discussing something so Thorn just waited until they were done before approaching Phil.

"I'm ready anytime," she told him.

"There are two levels of training," Phil told her holding up two stubby fingers. "If you pass both you can enter the games. Just do your best, and try not to get hurt."

Thorn nodded that she understood and waited for him to tell her what she'd be doing. Turned out the training he had in mind was smashing barrels. Just looking at the course he set up she knew for a fact she'd be able to pass.

"Level one, start!" Phil shouted. He was really curious how she'd be going through the training since she didn't seem to have a weapon.

As soon as the training began, Thorn took her time looking at each individual barrel, where it was located and about how far away each was from its neighbors. When she finished with that, she raised her hand shouted thunder and watched as her bolt smashed through each one in turn without missing a single one.

"Okay, so what's next?" she asked looking back at the goat man.

Phil seemed flabbergasted by the display but he quickly regained his composure. The next training practice was she had to break pottery and collect the orbs inside. She had to get a set number of orbs within the time limit.

_"This is too easy,"_ Thorn thought to herself. When the time started she decided to have fun with it and do target practice with her fire spells. Then when the orbs were scattered about she used a magnet spell to draw them all to her.

Needless to say she passed with flying colors.

"Alright, I think I'm warmed up enough," she said, the prospect of competition getting her blood fired up. "I'm ready for some matches now."

"Keep your cloak on," Phil said holding up his hands. "Yeah you did great, but that don't mean you'll be good in the tournament so just be sure to remember rule number 87: don't let your guard down."

"I think I can manage that," she replied with a shrug.

"Great, then go wait in the trophy room until it's your turn," Phil ordered.

Thorn shrugged again and headed back to the room with all the trophies. As soon as she was gone Phil turned to Hercules, "As good as she is...I doubt she'll be able to do much if Hades decides to throw in a few people."

"Don't worry, Phil," Herc replied confidently. "I won't let him interfere with this tournament."

Once the tournament got started and Thorn was in the ring she just let loose. Most of the competition wasn't anything more than what she dealt with on a mission. She got hit a few times, but the protect stone lessened the damage significantly. After blowing past the preliminary rounds all that was left was the semi finals and the final round.

During the break she was approached by Hercules and Phil. "Doing good so far, sweetheart," Phil complimented.

"Yeah, you seem to be a natural at this," Hercules commented with a smile.

"Well, back at my school they held battle assessments for us all the time," she explained. "Between that and the Mêlée Club, I got a little experience." She never passed up a chance to show up some of the snobs at her school, not that it did anything for her reputation.

"So you grew up doing stuff like this?" Hercules asked in surprise.

"Something like that," Thorn chuckled.

"Well, you can't rest yet. You still have two rounds to go before the finals," Phil spoke up.

"No reason for me to worry. I have this in the bag," Thorn stated confidently.

After they left her alone to prepare, Thorn did a few stretches to help limber up some. Magic was good and all but she still needed to keep light on her toes so as not to suffer a crippling blow. She was about to do some breathing exercises when she suddenly felt an ominous presence and the smell of sulfur and brimstone reached her nostrils.

"Man, I gotta tell ya, it never ceases to amaze me…"

Thorn looked to see a tall blue figure swathed in robes with blue flames burning from his arms and head.

"Just when I thought I'd seen everything. I come here thinking I might find a dark horse," he said approaching her. Thorn couldn't tell if he was talking to himself or to her. "Instead what do I find? This young, this soft, this lovely, dark… flower." As he said this he leaned down, examining her like one would while appraising fine jewelry, making Thorn more than a little uncomfortable.

"Can I help you with something?" Thorn asked refusing to take a step back.

"I'm just impressed that you were able to go this far so easily," he replied pulling back while rubbing his chin with his hand. "You're pretty good, for a girl...how about fighting for me? I'll make sure you have whatever you want as a reward."

"Uh...no," she said without hesitation as she turned away from him. As far as she was concerned the conversation was over.

"Whoa, whoa, let's not be hasty now," the man said sweeping in front of her and taking her by the shoulder. "You see I have an eye for talent, and when I look at you, I gotta say, I like what I see."

Thorn moved out from under his shoulder. "Just who do you think you are, pal?"

"Oh, geez, talk about absent minded," he chuckled knocking his own head with his hand. "Names, Hades, Lord of the Dead, hey how ya doing? So listen…"

"Lord of the Dead?" Thorn asked astounded, looking him up and down. "Well, at least now I know why no one wants to die." To think, this is what they had to look forward to for the rest of eternity.

"Haha, cute. I meant it though, just tell me what it is you want," he said pacing around. "Some people want power, some want revenge, and hey I've even seen some people do it for love. So come on, what is it you desire most?"

Thorn looked over at him once more thinking over what he said. What did she want most? That was obvious, she wanted her friends back...but the only way to do that would be to find and rescue their hearts from the heartless and then find whatever their shell was. Beyond that...she couldn't think of anything else. They weren't technically dead; they just went through the probably painful process of having their hearts removed.

"Heck, I could even bring people back from the dead...I'm not called Lord of the Dead for nothing," he continued putting on his most enticing smile.

Thorn stood silently for a long time. If he was a god, maybe he could do it. She'd be able to see her friends again, laugh with them, and hold them in her arms.

Hades placed a hand on her shoulder. "So whaddya say, peaches? Do we got a deal?"

Her fists clenched at her sides and she knocked his arm away. "Forget it. I'd rather spend the rest of my life searching then accept help from you." Even if she did get them back, she didn't think she could live with herself knowing she'd made a deal with the devil just to do it. How sad and pathetic would that look?

"Alright, fine, I get it. You're a girl, you're stubborn, you don't know a good opportunity when you see it," Hades said drawing away from her. "But take my advice, you're going to want to throw the next match."

"And why is that?" Thorn demanded scathingly.

"Because the last contestant is gonna be a doozy. But hey, if you don't believe me, go ahead. I'll be sure to make the preparations for a new resident," he said before disappearing in a swirl of smoke.

"Tch, what a moron," she muttered returning to her stretches and preparing for the next match. "Me throw a fight? Ha, I've never backed down from anything...and I'm not about to start now." She stood up and rubbed a finger over the tattoo on her wrist. "Besides, I still haven't shown what I can really do. I've gone easy on all of them up till now. If this last one is such a doozy, then all that means is I'll actually have to try." She grinned widely and looked to the place where the semi-finals and finals would take place. "So, hit me with your best shot, Hades, cause it still won't be enough."

Moments later, Phil came over to her to let her know that her next match was starting soon and she smiled coolly at him while nodding she understood. He was slightly confused by this but she ignored his look and went out onto the field ready to fight. She decided to pull out some of her more powerful magic in order to reserve her strength for the final battle that was coming.

At last the long awaited time had arrived. The crowd was going wild and Herc and Phil both stood on the side lines waving to her and wishing her luck. When her final opponent stepped out into the ring, it certainly hadn't been what Thorn expected, which was some sort of giant monster. Instead, her opponent was really no bigger than she was. A heartless wrapped up in armor, but instead of hands, long razor sharp blades jutted out from his arms.

Thorn only needed a sneak peak inside to see this foe was more dangerous than he looked by the hearts swimming around inside of him. Many of them had been warriors of some kind, all strong in their own right. Then she caught a glimpse of something and her breath caught. She searched for it until she found it again and she almost screamed for joy. Nestled amongst the many hearts, was the heart of her monkey tailed, blade wielding friend, Zidane.

She was so stunned by the revelation that she almost missed the starting signal and barely dodged the creature's first attack. Seeing the heart though, gave her all the motivation she needed to defeat it. In moments though, it became painfully clear that this would not be an easy feat to make. She could see it moving, but almost had no time to gather the strength needed for some of the stronger spells. Instead every time she managed to get to her feet she had just enough time to release a low level blizzard or fire before he either used a thrust or did a slashing combo to get near her before spinning and knocking her back a few feet.

Being as tired as she was, she didn't stop but the next time she managed to get far enough away, she used haste on herself allowing her to pick up her own pace. With this, she threw herself back as quickly as possible to give herself the ample amount of time to gather her energy for a more powerful blow. Before she could set it off though, the creature flew into the air before dropping straight down towards her head making her dive out of the way only to be knocked across the field by its shockwave.

_'A couple of direct hits from that and I'm done,'_ she thought furiously as she tumble rolled back onto her feet.

The creature shot forward in a sliding thrust which she dodged out of the way, only to have to cartwheel out of the way of his next series of slashes. She was never going to get anywhere at this rate. It did unexpected spin, knocking her off balance and while she was still stunned, went in for the kill.

* * *

CM: Oh no! How's that for a cliffhanger? Probably not one of the worst we've ever done, but still a little frustrating, neh? Sorry this chapter didn't have any Axel in it. He's off contemplating his feelings or lack thereof. :P Stay tuned to find out what happens next!


	23. Pushing Boundaries

**Chapter 23: Pushing Boundaries**

In the stands Xigbar was watching the whole thing. He'd give the girl credit, she was the best magic user he'd ever seen. Heck, she could probably even give that blue haired key blade wielder a run for her money. As far as her physical attacks and defense went, however, she was lacking big time. As she kept getting pushed back by the monster's speed and strength, Xigbar was beginning to wonder if he'd have to jump in and bail her out.

Then something interesting happened. As the creature went in for a finishing blow, something stopped it in its tracks. Xigbar looked closely and saw its arms were tangled up in something that was coming from the girl's sleeves. From this distance it was hard to tell what though.

Recovering from her dazedness, the girl began to spin, dragging the heartless with it. She spun and spun until it was air born and then with a shout she hurled the thing away where it crash landed into the corner of the arena, smacking against the stone pillar. It got up, but teetered, stunned from the blow. Xigbar grinned as the girl wasted no time building up for what was expected to be quite a spell.

Well, well, so the Angel Face has a few tricks up her sleeves.

* * *

Before it could fully recover, Thorn released the spell which proved to simply drained the life from it to boost her own health and followed up with one that completely froze it in place. Then she slowly approached it while focusing her eyes directly on it. As she got closer she focused and after several agonized moments she managed to drag Zidane's heart from the rest and pull it out of the heartless into her hands. Once she had a hold of it, she put it in her pocket locking it in place as best as she could before turning her attention back to the heartless. Then she gathered the energy she had left just as the heartless broke loose from her stop spell and she released the flare spell completely destroying it.

Once it was gone, she collapsed to one knee panting heavily from the effort but feeling like she just conquered the universe. She had done it. She had found one of her friends hearts and successfully pulled it from the heartless that held it captive. She couldn't wait to get back and tell Axel.

After the match Xigbar approached her with a grin on his face. "Nice going, Angel Face."

"Thanks," she stated sarcastically. "Maybe next time we're here YOU should enter and I can kick back for a bit."

"Heh, as if," Xigbar replied with a laugh. "It's more important that you get the experience under your belt. After all, you still have plenty of room to grow. Anyway, it's time we RCT'd."

"Yeah, sure thing," Thorn replied, eager to get back.

Once they emerged back into the Grey Room and delivered their report, Thorn excused herself. Axel walked in just as she was leaving and she rushed right past him.

"Hey, where's the fire?" he asked her.

"Can't talk right now," she shouted at him before running off.

Axel scratched his head, wondering what that was all about.

"Heh, women," Xigbar said strolling up to him "Life's biggest mystery, am I right? Still, I'd probably sleep pretty soundly with that next to me every night."

Axel turned to face him completely taken off guard by the comment only to see him gone from his side as the door closed behind him. "There's no way that guy knows...right?" he thought scratching his head. "Or does he actually spy on us every night? Creepy bastard." He shook his head to clear his thoughts of it as he headed off to find Thorn. There was a reason she just took off the moment she got back and he was going to find out what.

When he finally reached her room, he pushed the door open just in time to see the goth girl hurriedly stash away the broken music box she'd retrieved from Twilight Town.

"Oh, hey Axel," she greeted, her face calm as she walked up to him. "How was your mission? Tiring?"

"Yeah...sort of," he replied looking towards the place she'd hidden the box. "What were you doing over there?"

"Nothing really," she said with a shrug. "Just inspecting my music box to make sure it was still in one piece."

"Gotcha," he said, deciding to save it for later. He could see in her eyes she was bursting to tell him something but wanted to wait until a more opportune moment. Probably when they were in bed together, with her arms wrapped around him and his hands… He quickly derailed his own train of thought by asking her, "How was the mission with Xigbar?"

"Well, he's not as bad as Larxene," she stated bluntly, combing her fingers through her hair. "But he was still pretty irritating. Like… he was kind of cool but something about him still rubbed me the wrong way."

"Yeah, he seems to have that effect on everyone," Axel confided.

"Really? Everyone?" she asked in mild surprise.

"Yep," Axel replied with a grin as he turned to leave the room. "Well, I'm feeling a bit tired so I'm going to go catch some Z's."

Thorn smiled lightly at him as she followed him. Along the way she decided to tell him about the Coliseum and the tournament that she took part in. "I think what bothered me the most about the whole thing was the fact that the entire time I had no idea where he was or what we were supposed to be doing in that world. It almost seemed as if the entire thing was just to gain an assessment of my abilities."

"Well, that's possible," Axel pointed out. "I doubt I've ever actually seen you go all out in any fight. I don't blame them for wanting to know how strong you are."

"I guess," Thorn murmured, deciding to ignore the small sense of unease she had. They got to his room and Thorn quickly stripped off her cloak and jumped in before him. "So, you'll never guess what happened."

Axel shut the door and locked it before going over to the bed. "Well, if that's the case, why not just tell me," he said with a smile as he sat down.

Thorn frowned a little. "You're no fun." She decided to go ahead and tell him anyway. "I actually did it, I managed to find the heart of one of my friends. And I got it!"

Axel looked at her in amazement. "Seriously? That's incredible."

"I know," she said, doing all she could not to bounce up and down in excitement. "Lately I had started giving up hope but… this proves I can do it. I can find them."

"Yeah it really does," he replied looking up at the ceiling while lying back on the bed. He wasn't sure what this would mean for her as far as being with the organization went, but he was sure that at the very least Vexen would be thrilled to hear she'd managed it. "So, you put it in that music box of your huh," he guessed looking back at her.

"Yeah...but don't go telling anyone," she requested. "I don't really want them to know until I've at least found the other two."

He looked over her face unsure how to respond to that. He was supposed to report everything he found to Saix and Vexen...but did this really have to be reported before she fully succeeded? "Alright," he promised after a moment of thinking it over. "I won't say a word."

"Thanks," she said smiling warmly. Then she lay back as well, resting her head on his chest and sighed. "This was just as good if not better than dreaming about your twin," she murmured barely registering that it was being said.

"My twin?" Axel asked looking down at her curiously.

She gave a short laugh. "Heh, yeah. It was funny actually. I dreamt about a couple of boys, and… well, one of them looked like you. Except no black cloak or tattoos or anything. And he was with a blue haired boy. They were running from something but… I don't what."

If Axel had a heart it might have stopped at that moment. As he listened to her, he couldn't help but get a sneaking suspicion that she… but she couldn't have… it just wasn't possible. Or was it? Before he'd met her he'd never believe it was possible to look inside someone and see their heart. So who knew?

"That… does sound funny," he muttered in reply. For the time being, Axel would mark it off as just coincidence. However, if it proved to be more than that, then it was definitely something he would need to report. Just not to Vexen, or the leader for that matter.

"Hey, Axel?" Thorn asked shifting so that she was looking up at him. "Can you teach me how to move the way you do in battle?"

"You seem to handle yourself just fine," he commented. "Why would you need my help?"

"Well, my magic is fine...but I've never been good at dodging or well anything to do with defense." she answered looking directly at him. "And if I learned to move like you...I may increase my defense to a more manageable level."

"Are you asking about this because of the tournament?" Axel asked her curiously.

"To be honest, I was having my ass handed to me by my final competitor," she admitted grudgingly. "I actually had to pull out my ace in my sleeves. Until now I've never had to do that in a fight."

"Heh, wish I'd been there to see that," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh, thanks a lot," Thorn snapped elbowing him in the ribs.

The two of them laugh a little at this. Once they were settled back down, Axel told her, "Sure, I don't mind showing you a few moves, whenever we both have the free time."

"I'll be sure to get them memorized," Thorn jibed.

"Just to warn you, I'm a tough teacher, so no complaining," he informed her.

"I've had nothing but tough teachers, I can handle it," she said confidently.

"Well then we'll just have to see how you do," he laughed squeezing her against him.

She smiled lightly trying hard not to show how happy she was at the prospect. Then, feeling content with a bit of training from the red head, she draped her arm over him once more and nuzzled her head into his chest. He really was very comfortable. "Night, Axel," she murmured slipping off to sleep.

"Goodnight, Thorn," he returned in a low voice.

Axel closed his eyes and turned his head away from her. When did all this suddenly become so normal?

* * *

The next three days were an unexpected nightmare for Thorn. When she demonstrated to Vexen she could actually separate a heart from a heartless and hold onto it, she thought he might actually be satisfied. Quite the opposite, and what she should have anticipated, this only got him more excited. He began drilling her to do more. Go beyond that. See if she could pull out more hearts and hold them at once. The first two night she went to bed late, tired, and sick feeling. The third day, she lost it.

"Screw this!" she shouted kicking the heartless away from her and towards the scientist. "I'm done!"

Vexen easily stopped the sliding heartless and glared at the retreating Thorn. "No, you're not finished quite yet," he declared. "You're going to return to your seat and keep attempting this until you've finished even if it takes all night."

"No, I'm not," Thorn nearly shouted, the many different instruments going haywire. "I'm a human being, not some frickin robot you can force to complete the same task again and again day in and day out for days on end. Doing crap like that is going to make me keel over and then you have a frickin experiment. So no, for today I'm finished and am going to sleep. So just piss off."

With that she turned around, walked right out the door and slammed it shut. The moment she left, the buzzing and shaking instruments stopped moving.

"Hmph, just who does that girl think she is?" Vexen demanded to no one. "As I thought, she simply can't appreciate the gravity of my research." He strode over to his data journal and looked over it. If only there were some way to improve her, make to where she was more cooperative. An idea struck him and his lips curled into a smile. "A robot indeed."

Thorn stayed in an angry haze for most of her trip up from the labs. When she'd walked quite a bit and cooled off however, a weight settled in the pit of her stomach as she realized what she just did. She might have blown her chances at ever leaving on another mission again. In spite of this, Thorn wasn't about to go back and apologize. She'd meant every word she'd said. She wanted to go to the Grey Area to see if there was anyone she could talk to, but she didn't want to risk Saix asking her what she was doing there instead of in the labs.

She decided she'd try it anyway so she headed towards the Gray room, pausing at the door. She decided to check the room before she entered so she slowly opened the door and glanced around it before entering. Surprisingly, Saix wasn't around.

"Today must be my lucky day," she thought walking over to one of the couches to wait. She really wanted to talk to Demyx or Axel the moment they got back. She needed something to cheer her up after the incident in the labs...and maybe a little reassuring that she'd still be able to go on missions.

As she sat in the comfortable couches she began to doze off and spread herself across the mattress while resting her head on the arm. Thorn wasn't sure how long she dozed off for, but as she slept she once more saw visions of the two no-named boys. She awoke when she heard a stern voice telling her to wake up.

Opening her eyes she sat up with a yawn. Someone was standing in front of her and she glanced up to see it was Saix. His amber yellow eyes gaze down on her apathetically. Why did she get a sense of familiarity looking at him?

"I've just been to the labs to see what the fuss was all about," he said skipping the formalities. "Vexen has informed me you refused to take part in the experiment and stormed out."

"I left so nothing broke," Thorn explained. "But yes I did refuse to keep going for today. I'm only human after all, I do have limits and can't be driven to work until I drop like a slave. Honestly, there's only so much I can take before I need a break or I end up snapping."

"I see, that would explain why a few of Vexen's instruments were damaged," he muttered. "You won't be going back until he finishes his repairs, but don't think you're off the hook. Unless a mission appears that I specifically need you on, you won't be going anywhere. Instead you'll be assisting me. By the time you're finished you'll be begging to go back to the labs."

_"Somehow, I seriously doubt there is anything he can do to me that would make me want to go back to the labs,"_ she thought stretching herself out before getting to her feet.

Saix turned away from her and said, "Come with me," before walking off, expecting her to follow. She did so and he led her down several flights of stairs until they were down in what must have been the deepest part of the castle.

"So, how's your day been?" she asked conversationally.

"Must you continue to employ me in your gratuitous chatter?" he asked with the barest hint of exasperation in his voice.

"I usually prefer getting to know the people I happen to be living with," she returned in an even tone.

He gave a light 'hmph' but said nothing more. They got to a prison area and for a brief minute Thorn was wondering if he was planning on locking her up for a while. Instead he turned to her and said, "This castle needs to be cleaned. Normally we have the Dusks take care of it. Today however, I shall entrust the task to you. You will start here and work your way up."

Thorn couldn't stop herself. "The whole castle?"

"That is correct," Saix said inclining his head. She wondered if behind that stony face he was laughing. "I'll leave you to it, but know I'll be coming back periodically to check on your progress."

Thorn wanted to chuck something at the back of his head as he walked off, but she was in enough trouble as it was without making things worse. Instead, she waited until she couldn't see him any more to head to the back of the dungeon where a lone bucket of cleaning water and a scrub brush were located. Grudgingly she took a look around the room finding a good enough place to start, picked up the brush and got to work.

A few hours later, she was almost finished with the second cell. Progress was slow going as she was the only one doing anything but she was progressing. Saix didn't seem too impressed by her work as he came down to check on her twice in that time, but he did seem surprised she was still going at it.

By the late evening she had finished cleaning all of the Soundless Prison and Saix came to her once more. "I suppose that will be all for today. You may pick up where you left off another day."

"Great," said Thorn dropping the brushing into the soap water bucket. "And just for the record, I still don't want to go back to the labs."

"You seem to enjoy pushing boundaries," Saix noted sternly. "Take care you do not accidentally cross one. There are far worse things than cleaning duty."

As Thorn watched him go she flipped him the bird, then quickly hid her hand from of view when he turned back for the briefest of moments. "Also, I have you on a mission with Axel tomorrow. Don't be late."

"Right," she muttered as he disappeared. Once he was gone, her face split into a smile. "Yes, mission with Axel...best news I've heard all day," she said heading for the top. It was late enough when she made it up there that she was sure she could just march into Axel's room to sleep. It took her much longer to make it to his room as her legs were so sore from squatting to reach the lower walls and floors. By the time she stopped in front of his door, she was exhausted.

She took a moment to regain some strength before she pushed the door open finding Axel laying across his bed. He looked over at her as she entered and she was irritated to see amusement in those eyes of his.

"So," he said slowly. "I heard you got demoted to cleaning duty."

"Stuff it, Axel," Thorn muttered throwing off her cloak and climbing into bed.

Axel did nothing to hide his mirth. "Well, that's what you get for blowing up at a top member. They don't take too kindly to violent behavior."

"That guy doesn't deserve respect," Thorn snapped in irritation. "If I had my way I would…"

Axel's hand shot up and covered her mouth. "Watch it, there are eyes and ears on alert at all times, and after what you pulled today, I don't doubt they'll be on you twenty-four seven."

"What are you talking about?" she demanded pushing his hand away. "If they were watching me then you think I'd have already been thrown away with what's in my Journal alone."

Axel had to admit she had a point. With all the images she had drawn of the members who had irritated her dying horrible deaths...she very well could have been. "So, me saying that one of the members knows about us sleeping like this every night doesn't bother you," he commented.

"Well, I figured Saix would have figured out we were in here every night," she muttered burying her tired face into the pillow. "So what else is new...besides our mission tomorrow that is."

"You don't sound very excited," Axel said teasingly. "Maybe I should ask Saix to let you stay home tomorrow."

Thorn's head turn so that one grey eye was glaring at him, clearly saying without words there would be hell to pay if he followed through with that suggestion.

"I'm just kidding," he said with a chuckle. He shift over to his side, hitting her and as he did so and she get out a small hiss. Curiously, Axel took one of her hands and saw the palm was red and blistered. "Geez, he worked you pretty hard, huh?"

"It's nothing," Thorn told him, though she didn't pull her hand away. "I can heal it later, when I get my energy back."

"How about we get you healed up now so you don't have to worry about it tomorrow," Axel suggested holding tightly to both of her hands with one of his. With the other he leaned back, deftly opened one of the dresser drawers next to the bed, and pulled out a small bottle. "No sense making you go to sleep while in pain."

"You don't have to do that," Thorn tried to convince him, though she still didn't try to pull away. "I'm really okay. And it doesn't really even hurt, so fixing it tomorrow won't be that hard for me."

"Just sit up already," he told her chuckling. Despite her protests that she was alright, she did so and Axel opened up the bottle holding both her hands palms up. Then he slowly poured a small amount of the liquid over her raw hands, without letting any of it fall onto the bed, and began to lightly rub it into her injuries.

The medicine instantly relieved the stinging and Thorn released an exhale of relief. Her heart was beating a notch or two above normality as he tended to her 'injuries'. She bit her lip fighting against the physical impulses she was getting. As far as she knew he saw her as 'just a friend'. By the time he was finished, the pain had stopped completely and the redness and blistering seemed to have lessened.

"They should be good as new by morning," he told her putting the bottle back from whence it came. "Just don't pick or scratch at them."

"Yeah, thanks," she murmured. She seemed to say that to him a lot. More than she would normally care to. "Well, sooner we go to sleep the sooner morning can come." She turned away and lay with her back facing him. "Goodnight."

Axel watched at her and he sensed something was wrong but he wasn't sure what or whether or not he was the cause of it. Something was always wrong when she turned her back to him. Or she was trying to hide something.

"Okay, so what's the problem?" he asked trying to turn her over so she was facing him again. She fought against his pull determinedly keeping herself turned in the opposite direction.

"Nothing's wrong," she told him firmly. "I'm just really tired and want to sleep."

"You only ever turn away when something is bugging you," Axel pointed out managing to flip her over. "So what's up, is it me or something else?"

Thorn really didn't want to tell him how she felt and that she was worried he didn't feel the same...or could never feel the same. So, instead she pulled up something else that was slightly bugging her. "It's just that I had another dream about the two kids I told you about before," she sighed making it seem like he won. "I still feel as if I know them...or like we're old pals or so something like that."

So that was it. She had another dream about them? "Did you learn anything about them?" he asked casually.

She shook her head. "Not really, I just saw their faces. They were just hanging out and laughing."

Axel kept getting this nagging feeling what she was seeing was something way more than just a dream, but there was still no way to prove that yet. So until then, he wouldn't make a big deal about it. "Well, there's no sense on dwelling on it. It'll come when it comes."

Thorn forced a smile. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Then to show that was the only thing bothering her she rested her head against his side, the scent of burning wood overtaking her senses.

He smiled to himself at this feeling like she was back to normal before laying back down himself. It was nice to know that she wasn't holding anything back...like she did before when Marluxia's stray comment nearly destroyed their trust. Now he only really needed to focus on finding out more about those dreams of hers and their mission in the morning. No problem...right?

* * *

CM: No... no problems at all. :P Well, Not much really to say on this chapter, though I gotta say I loved Xiggy's exchange with Axel. XD And Vexen is up to his usual mad scientist antics. Saix is still a cold bastard, but we love him anyway. :D I'm gonna tell you now, you don't wanna miss the next chapter, so stay tuned!


	24. Trust Me

**Chapter 24: Trust Me **

"Wow, I've never seen a city like this before... and look at that building! It's HUGE!"

It was the next morning and Thorn and Axel had just made it to the world they were assigned to for that day. The building Thorn was referring to was and enormous church that stretched far above the roves of the remaining structures. The place was filled with bustling people, carriages being pulled by horses, and what looked like street performers playing strange instruments while others danced. A few of the passing people would drop gold coins for them while mothers kept their children far from them. The houses and shops looked to be no bigger than two stories tall, all of different sizes, shapes and even colors. In the center of town stood the large church with many steps leading up to the large front doors.

Thorn looked around the open square from the rooftop she and Axel were standing on and spotted a platform with a noose off to one end while people all around the square moved quickly around seeming to be decorating it for a festival of some sort.

"Well, this place sure is lively," she chuckled. "Hmm...think we can check out whatever party they're preparing for?"

Axel shook his head. "We can't afford to be seen here, and we need to hurry and find our target."

"What about after?" Thorn asked as they made their way down to the streets. "Everyone else is dressed even weirder than us so I don't think we'll stick out much."

Axel reached over and gave her head a sharp poke. "No means no, got it memorized?"

She rubbed the abused area sullenly. "Party pooper."

Thorn looked around searching for anything suspicious but her eyes kept getting drawn to the large cathedral. As she stared, she saw something moving around on one of the top outer balconies.

"Did you see something?" Axel asked noticing where she was staring.

The goth girl nodded and pointed. "Up there. I think we should search the large building first." The neo gothic design on the building was killer and Thorn was itching to explore it.

"You just want to see what looks like inside," Axel teased as the two of them made their way to the door without being seen.

"That is part of it," she admitted with a shrug. "It has amazing architecture and I'd love to see what they did with the inside. But I also want to finish up the mission quickly so we can relax and enjoy the world a bit before heading back."

"Honestly I thought she was going to deny it," Axel thought in disappointment. He was sure that she'd deny that being the reason she wanted in. He was slightly less disappointed when they managed to slip inside and a bit of Thorn's awe and excitement slipped onto her face.

"This place is...amazing," she murmured softly.

The place was completely empty, which was fine by her. The hall was vast and up ahead were rows of benches where people pray and beautiful stained glass windows with images brought to life by the light outside. As they walked, their footsteps echoed through the empty church.

"See anything suspicious?" Axel asked, distracting her from her sightseeing. She gave a quick look around before shaking her head in answer. Axel quickly inspected the surrounding area until his eyes fell on a wooden door that was left open. It showed a staircase leading up. "Hope you're up for a little climbing."

The two of them went up the stairs and several steps later they found themselves in the bell tower of the cathedral.

"Look at the size of these," Thorn murmured going over to one. "Can you imagine what it took to forge these?"

Axel smiled and gave his head a light shake. It always amused him how fascinated she was by something new and unusual.

"They're all different sizes too...I'll bet each one has its own unique sound too," she murmured tapping the edge of one. She listened to the sound for a moment before moving to all the other ones.

"We are supposed to be finding that heartless you know," Axel pointed out as he too looked around.

"I am," Thorn told him with a wave of her hand. "I just also happen to be inspecting these incredible bells." As she said this, she spotted the largest bell of the bunch and carefully went over to it slipping under its edge. The inside of it was covered in jewels of all different types and sizes and was big enough to have been it's own shelter. "Wow." Her voice reverberated within the bell making it vibrate and produce a very deep sound. As the sound engulfed her, something black caught her eye just in time to see a shadowed hand come through the bell at her. She fell to her back and rolled under the lip of the bell to escape it and when she got back up, it was gone.

Within moments Axel was at her side helping her up. "You alright there?"

"Fine," Thorn said dusting herself off and looking around for the shadow monster. She was dismayed to find it had disappeared again. She felt Axel grab her arm and quickly pull her back.

"Beneath you!" A second later the neo shadow dove out of the floor right where she'd been standing seconds before.

Thorn casted a quick fire spell, hitting it in the face and knocking it off balance. Axel rushed forward, attacking the shadow creature with his chakram. While Axel kept it busy, Thorn continued to assault it with her magic using level three spells. Between the two of them the heartless was in no time vanquished.

"That takes care of that," Axel said satisfied, putting his weapons away.

"Wow, we got through that mission fast," Thorn noted. She glanced around before grinning at him. "Hey, we still got plenty of time. Wanna go down and join the other party goers?"

Axel crossed his arms over his chest. "What did I say earlier?"

"Okay, fine." She said with a roll of her eyes. "Then care to show me those moves you were talking about?

"Now?"

"Why not? It's not like there's anyone up here to see us anyway," she pointed out. "And if you really feel that concerned we could always go to the roof and do it there."

He contemplated this as he looked her face over before shrugging and turning towards the stairs once more. "Alright, I'll show you a thing or two...but if you get hurt you can't blame me," he finally agreed.

"No worries there," Thorn said with a smile as she followed him to the roof. "So, hit me with your best shot."

When they were out in the open area of the rooftop Axel stopped and turned towards her. "This will be fine here. Now first off, let's see your battle stance."

Thorn complied, shifting her body into the defensive position she normally took when fighting.

Axel looked her over for a few moments before stating, "Alright, I can already see your main problem."

"What do you mean?" Thorn asked in confusion.

"You are way too tense. You need to loosen up and not be so stiff."

"How am I supposed to guard against something if I'm a limp noodle?" Thorn demanded.

Axel scratched his head and sighed. "Alright, let's do it this way then. Go ahead and come at me. Not with your magic, with your fists."

"So you want me to deck you?"

He chuckled and nodded. "If you can."

Thorn's fingers curled inward and she angled her arm. She might not have the best strength but she was capable of cold-cocking someone if she tried. "Just remember you asked for it." Then she charged at him.

Axel remained perfectly still, watching her run at him. At the last moment she did a fake out but it soon proved ineffective. As she drew her fist back he pivoted to the side and countered attacked, sending her tumbling onto the ground.

"Ow…" Thorn groaned pulling herself up. Axel told her to try again, and she did. And again and again, but no matter what she tried she couldn't land a punch and kept getting knocked down herself. She didn't understand. She was just as fast as he was. So why wasn't she able to hit him? "How do you keep doing that?"

"Easy," Axel replied. "You're tense, and I'm calm."

"What difference does it make?" Thorn demanded completely confused by his words. "Besides, this isn't tension it's called being on guard."

"I mean you're stiff while I'm loose," Axel tried to explain. "Let's say you're moving as if you were a rock and I'm moving like...like...water."

"Kind of weird since you're the wielder of fire," Thorn muttered raising her eyebrow.

"Ignoring the element part, water is always changing," Axel explained. "If something is sitting in a river it simply bends around it to continue on its way. If it's put into a container it adapts to fit that shape. If you can manage this then you'll be on your way to a better defense."

"So you mean, staying loose makes it easier for you to be adaptable," Thorn murmured nodding her head. "Surprisingly, I think I understand that."

Axel nodded. "Good, now just take a deep breath and relax, but keep your eyes on me."

Thorn inhaled deeply through her nose and out through her mouth, letting everything in her body go lax while keeping her eyes on him.

He began moving towards her. "When facing your opponent, always keep calm. Be ready for anything, but don't anticipate." He was getting closer until he was within striking distance.

Thorn watched him and reflexively tensed, but allowed herself to relax again.

"Wait for the right moment, and then allow your body to react without resistance." Without warning, he struck out at her.

Thorn allowed it to come and her body suddenly swerved out of the way, dodging the attack completely. She got so excited she didn't prepare for the next and she immediately tensed up once more, taking the full hit of Axel's follow up strike. Thorn fell backwards, landing hard. She smiled in spite of the pain, because she'd at least managed to do it, if only once.

"Good, you're a quick learner," Axel commended. "But you gotta learn to stay relaxed throughout the fight. The second you freeze up you're gonna get shattered. Got it memorized?"

"Heh, yeah I got it," she chuckled getting back to her feet. "Once more." He nodded and went back on the attack.

They continued to train in this fashion, her waiting for him to strike and then doing everything she could to avoid it. It took several tries, but after about 20 minutes she was able to dodge several attacks one after another. It wasn't easy and by the time an hour had passed it proved to be much more taxing than she anticipated as she collapsed onto the roof panting for air.

"I'm...not...done...yet," she panted her legs feeling like lead. "Just...taking...a break."

"We'll stop there for today," Axel decided. When Thorn went to protest he shook his head. "Your body isn't used to moving like this. You gotta give it time to adjust."

As much as Thorn wanted to argue she knew he was right. She felt a little better when Axel told her they could pick up where they left off at a later time. "So… I guess you wanna head back then, huh?" she asked him, seeing it was getting late.

Axel strode over to the edge of the balcony at the celebrations going on down below. "I'd imagine with a festival like this, there's gonna be fireworks." He turned back to her with a small grin on his face. "I don't think I'd mind seeing that, if you're up for it."

Thorn smiled at this and managed to sit up. "Yeah, sounds great," she murmured. It took a bit for her to get her breath back, but when she did, she went to the edge of the roof and sat down much like they'd do in TwilightTown. Axel sat down next to her and they remained silent for quite some time waiting for the show to begin.

Just as the sun disappeared over the horizon, the first fireworks exploded in the sky, lighting it up with bright colors. "Pretty cool," Axel said glancing over at Thorn's face. Her face was calm and emotionless as she stared up at the sky, except for her eyes which were alight with joy.

"Yeah, it seems like forever since I last saw something like this," she agreed softly.

Thorn looked over at him and was startled to find him looking at her. She glanced away quickly, feeling a flush coming to her face. "So… did they have fireworks where you're from?"

"Yeah… on special occasions like this," he replied. He paused for a moment, wondering how much to share, and he couldn't resist telling her. "Once a friend and I snuck into someone's place and stole a box of fireworks. We lit them all at once and almost started a fire. It took weeks for my eyebrows to grow back."

Thorn laughed a clear, loud, unrestrained laugh and Axel was rather taken aback at how pleasant it sounded.

He distantly felt that faint hum inside of him and he couldn't resist laughing himself. "Yeah, it was stupid."

"That's nothing," Thorn told him, recalling something even worse. "One year my friends and I broke into a fireworks store. Zell was going through a smoking period and… well, let's just say the store went out of business for a while." Her shoulders shook with mirth at the memory. "He never smoked again after that."

"So it was a one step program?" Axel asked laughing as well. He was now sure that friend of hers was an imbecile.

"Yeah, having an entire store go up around you will do it," Thorn agreed. "I got burned saving his ass too." She scooted closer to him so their bodies were almost touching and showed him a spot on her arm that he hadn't noticed before. "See, right there. Hurt for a good week afterwards too."

As she moved closer, Axel noticed the hum increase inside him. Her scent washed over him mingled with the smell of smoke from the fireworks. When she showed him her burn he noticed it had been there for awhile so the incident she talked about must have happened a few years before she arrived.

"You know something," Axel said his eyes moving away from the burn "I think I would have liked to have met you, back when I had a heart. We would have been fast friends."

"I dunno about that," Thorn replied, pulling her sleeve back down. "I wasn't exactly the most approachable person back then. It took a long time just to let those three in."

"In that case, our friendship would have been guaranteed," Axel said, grinning at her with unnerving confidence.

Thorn stared at him, her heart skipping a beat, and somehow, she found herself believing him. He probably would have fit right in with the four of them. In a way though, Thorn was glad that wasn't the case. She'd had kept herself from going beyond friendship with her three guy friends, because she didn't want to have to choose between them. With Axel, she didn't have to worry about that.

She really liked Axel. He was cool, funny, and he really understood her in ways no one else ever did. Last but certainly not least…. He was just….. so…. incredible. The way he smiled, the way he frowned, the way his body moved when he spoke in that almost always sarcastic tone of voice. She enjoyed all of it.

"Something the matter"? He asked, unable to keep from noticing her prolonged stare.

The goth girl scooted ever closer to him brushing her hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear which held three piercings. "I'd like to try something," she said softly, shyly. "If you don't mind."

"Uh...okay," he replied not sure what she was going for.

She flashed her most charming smile as she reached up putting her hand on his cheek guiding his face lower while she tried to move closer. Her eyes stayed locked on his as she got ever closer, feeling her heartbeat pick up.

At first Axel wasn't sure what she was going for, but the humming inside of him continued to grow more intense as she got closer. He could feel her breath on his face now and realized it would probably best if he stopped her right then. Thorn saw and felt him lean back a little and she felt her heart twist knowing he was stopping her.

"Hold on," she said quickly before his face was fully away from her hand. "If you can't trust yourself...then at least try trusting me."

Trust her? He didn't have a heart to trust her with. However, as he looked into her softened grey eyes, he realized he really wanted to trust her. For all the misgivings he had, he wanted to see where this would lead to. So he took his own advice and relaxed, giving the smallest incline of his head.

"Answer me one thing," he said seriously. "What is it you're after?"

Thorn was more than thankful for the second chance. Her own heart was thrumming quite loudly and she was nervous as hell, but this only encouraged her to charge forward, to finish what she started.

"I want to see if I can make you feel," she murmured. Then pausing only a moment, she touched her lips against his.

Thorn had no idea what Axel was getting out of it, if anything. All she knew was she liked the way her mouth fit against his, and the warmth that came from them which slow spread through her like a hot beverage. And… he was actually responding, his lips starting to move against hers.

The moment her mouth came in contact with his, Axel was worried the hum would grow to a point where it would shatter his body. Then after a moment it gave way to something which he couldn't quite pin down. All he knew was any reservations he held before vanished. Something about it just felt completely right. No more wrong than lying in bed with her in his arms.

It didn't last long and pretty soon Thorn pulled back and looked into his eyes once more. "So...did that do anything?" she asked trying to calm her heavily beating heart.

Axel got a contemplative look on his face before shaking his head. "I don't know...I'll have to try it again," he said this time leaning in himself until their lips smoothed together. He wasn't going to lie...emotions or not, he didn't mind it. He'd almost go so far as to say he liked it. He just wanted to tease her a bit first.

When he pulled away, he was amused to see her shaking the clouds out of her head. "So...what about now?" she asked after a moment.

"Well, you stole a kiss...I stole a kiss," he replied shrugging his shoulders. "I guess we're even now." He glanced down at her as she got a really disappointed look on her face, one she was trying to hide. "Well..." He reached down once more placing a finger under chin to lift her face up towards his and whispered, "Maybe just one more," with his breath falling onto her open mouth.

Thorn felt her face grow hotter than it already was and inside she was cheering. While he didn't vocally acknowledge or admit to anything, his actions spoke volumes. This time they closed the gap together, and Thorn's hands sought his placing them around her before doing the same to him with her own. When the kiss ended she buried her face in his chest, not wanting him to see how red she was.

Axel didn't mind, he held her close, feeling her heart pounding against her chest and reverberating in his own, so that if he closed his eyes, he could imagine his heart was there, beating with hers.

* * *

CM: Yay! It finally happened! What will this new closeness bring? You'll find out soon enough. ;P For those of you who want a visual of that particular steamy moment, see my deviant art account. The pic is title: "Maybe just one more..."


	25. Somebodies

**Chapter 25: Somebodies**

_On the high balcony of a castle sat two boys, a red head and a blue haired boy. Every house, every tree, every landmark was display for their viewing. The sun was just beginning its decent as they stared openly out at the glorious view. The red head boy was sitting on the balcony's edge while the blue haired boy stood, leaning casually against the wall with his arms folded across his chest._

"_Just as I thought," the red head stated with a grin. "This is the best spot in the whole city."_

_"It really is," the blue haired one agreed looking out over the city as well._

_They sat and watched as the sun went lower over the tops of the buildings until a deep voice sounded behind them accompanied by a shadow. "Your time to enjoy the view is over," it said and the two turned to see a tall man with long black dreadlocks and a second man who was even larger with short ginger hair._

_The man who spoke grabbed onto the red headed boy by the collar and lifted him off the balcony and into the air while the other grabbed the blue haired boy. Then the two of them marched the two boys down the stairs and towards the exit. The entire way the red head boy was shouting at them to let him go while fighting back with all his might._

_In contrast, the blue haired boy just hung silently resigning himself to the fact they'd been caught. "Lea, just stop fighting it already," he spoke to the red head._

"_Never!" he shouted in reply as he continued to thrash around in the older man's grip. "I'm gonna get loose if it's the last thing I… augh!"_

_By that point the guards had made it outside and unceremoniously tossed the boys onto the ground in front of the palace doors. "This is your last warning," the man with dreadlocks stated._

"_If we catch you trespassing again, it will be to the dungeons with you," said the man with short hair._

_"Hey, you're not the boss of me!" Lea shouted at the men getting back to his feet. The man with the dreadlocks pulled out his weapon and brandished it making the boy jump back in fear. "Okay I'm going!" he exclaimed turning around to look for his friend. He spotted the blue haired boy already a ways away having simply walked away. "Hey, Isa, wait up!" and he ran after him catching up moments later. "You weren't going to just leave me back there were ya, pal?"_

_"I knew you'd come running eventually, Lea, so there was no reason to wait and upset them further," Isa answered with a smile._

_Lea laughed. "Well, we just gotta learn to be faster. They won't catch us next time." He rotated his right arm, which he'd landed on, making sure it was alright. "So, how about some ice cream?"_

"_Only if you're paying," Isa told him._

"_Aw, come on," Lea protested. "I paid last time."_

"_You're the one who loves it so much," Isa countered._

_The rest of the conversation faded away as the scene steadily evaporated._

* * *

Soft laughter filled the air which slowly got louder as Thorn gradually left the world of dreams. When she was fully awake, she found herself laughing hysterically while Axel watched her in confusion.

"What's so funny?" he asked her finding it to be rather amusing.

"Just...that dream again," she got out through the laughter. "Those boys got thrown out of a castle by guys who looked like Xaldin and Lexaeus and the red head was throwing a fit."

For a moment Axel lost the ability to breathe. He remembered the day she was describing. Which meant that whatever this was, she was somehow tapping into his memories back when he was a Somebody. Back when he was…

"Lea," she said with a small smile. "Lea and Isa… cute kids. I kind of wish they were real."

_'They're more real than you know,'_ thought Axel as he rose out of bed. When Thorn asked him where he was going, he just told her he had some business to take care of, but she could sleep a little longer and he'd be right back. Thorn shrugged and rolled over, burying her head in his pillows to catch a few more winks of sleep.

Once he was out the door, he immediately headed off towards Saix's room. He knew it was too early for the man to be in the Gray room and he'd rather not be overheard if he could help it. It didn't take him long to reach it and once he did, he entered without knocking. Upon entering, Axel found the blue haired Nobody right next to the door having been on his way out.

"Phew, glad I caught you before you left," he said coming in without an invitation and closing the door behind him. "I seriously needed to tell you something...without anyone else hearing."

Saix looked him over and decided that whatever it was had to be important if he had come to his room. "What's the problem?" he asked wanting to get it over with quickly.

"Something weird has been going on with Thorn," Axel started off quickly. "Apparently, for the past week or so she's had at least three dreams about you and I...as Somebodies. She even had one this morning about that time we were thrown out of the castle."

"Which time?"

"The time I told Dilan and Aeleus that they weren't the boss of me and he pulled his weapon on me," Axel explained.

Saix stood silent and thoughtful for several moments. "And you haven't told her anything about this prior?"

Axel shook his head. "Not a word. I haven't even told her what world we were from or anything like that."

Saix closed his eyes. "This is better than we could have ever hoped for."

Okay... not the reaction Axel was expecting. "Come again?"

"You say she is tapping into memories from our past," Saix said opening his eyes to look at Axel. "Which means its likely she is seeing into your heart, in spite of the fact it is absent from your body."

Axel folded his arms, frowning. "You really think that's possible?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" Saix returned. "Vexen has claimed he's been training her to further her abilities. It is not entirely out of the question."

"So then, what now?" Axel asked thinking about the girl currently curled up in his bed.

"For right now, we wait and see," Saix answered. "Not a word of this is to be breathed to anyone else. I will do so myself if and when the time comes." He looked Axel in the eye and the red head almost could have sworn the ghost of a smile was there. "Whatever it is you're doing...it seems to be working. Keep doing it. Perhaps when all this is over, she'll be able to see their location from her sleep."

Axel didn't know what more to say so he just agreed with Saix's wishes and left. As he headed back to his bedroom, he thought about the conversation and all it implied. They could get their hearts back, and Thorn could help them do it. All he had to do was keep spending time with her and she might be able to pinpoint its location. Though he'd be lying if he said that was his only motivation for being in her presence.

The weight in his stomach feeling was all but gone at this point now that Saix was fine with him getting as close to her as he wanted. It also helped knowing where she stood on the matter. Their previous mission cleared it up for him. She liked him, probably more than she was willing to voice out loud.

* * *

It was an hour or two later that Thorn found herself back in the Gray room facing Saix. He seemed as surly as ever, but when he spoke to her it was with a lot less contempt. It seemed to her as if any resentment the man held for her was somehow gone.

"So, what's the mission for today?" she asked calmly, not wanting to ruin the nice change.

"You will be going back to Traverse Town with Xaldin," he answered. "He'll explain the details when you arrive."

Xaldin...the name sounded familiar but it did take a moment for her to realize he meant the man with dreads that blew her off before. Well, she couldn't exactly say the mission was going to be boring.

When Xaldin showed the only greeting he offered Thorn was asking her if she was ready. When she stated that she was he opened the portal and went in ahead, leaving her to follow. Once they were in Traverse Town, she turned to him.

"So, what's our job today?" she inquired politely.

"You're job is to keep out of the way and not slow me down," Xaldin said dismissively as he headed for some unknown direction.

Thorn stared after him before catching back up to him once more. "Um, I'm not sure if you know how this works or not but, we're suppose to be working together on this."

"I work alone," Xaldin stated in irritation. "Your presence is not required."

With that he simply disappeared. Thorn was shocked to see him leave her there but it really didn't bother her that much either. All it meant was that she was free to do as she pleased. She shrugged and headed off in a random direction deciding to tour the town and see what other people might be located there.

Down in the catacombs of the city, she spotted a lone house off in the middle of what appeared to be a lake. Curiosity getting the better of her, she began leaping across the stones that lead the way there and pausing only when she reached it. The house was small and run down with boards and old cloth covering the doors and windows. She wanted to see what it was like on the inside, so she looked for a breach in the blockages.

Much to her disappointment, she found none. As she debated and tearing some of the boards down, she noticed the house had a chimney. She floated herself up to the roof top before going over to inspect. The opening was large enough to fit through, so she sung her legs over the rim and prepared to lower herself down. The edges were more slippery than she'd guessed and she lost her grip, falling down the chimney with a startled yell. Before she could do a float spell she crash landed in a pile of ash, spraying it everywhere and coating herself in it. She coughed while keeping her eyes shut to keep from getting the stuff in her eyes.

She waited in the chimney until the dust settled. Once that happened, she got to her feet and took a look around. The inside of the house was dark and as run down looking as the outside. Dust covered everything, and the few pieces of furniture were either broken or turned over on its side.

"That's really it?" she muttered to herself. She was highly disappointed that there wasn't anything else in there. "Well this was a complete waste of time." She was about to leave when she heard what sounded like a door opening and moments later an old man wearing a blue robe, a pointed blue hat, and an extremely long white beard appeared.

"Well, well, I certainly didn't expect to have any visitors while I was away," the old man said eyeing Thorn through his spectacles. "I say, young lady, you have very bad manners; coming here while I'm not in, and covered in all that soot."

"Trust me, this wasn't intentional," she told him, releasing a sneeze. "And I didn't realize anyone lived here."

"Be that as it may, that's still no reason to barge into a house uninvited," he stated in light scolding.

For some reason Thorn felt rather humbled and she lowered her head while mumbling an apology.

"Well, I suppose I can overlook this mishap," he said stroking his beard. "Now then, what is your name, young lady?"

Thorn scrutinized the old man for a moment searching a portion of his heart only to find him to be trustworthy. "Thorn," she told him. "Just Thorn."

"Well, Thorn," he said, "What brings you here?"

"Nothing in particular," she said with a shrug.

"Ah, you see though, there is always a reason for everything," the old man cut in. "I can't exactly assist you if you don't tell me your reason for seeking me out."

"I didn't SEEK you out," Thorn muttered rubbing her head. The way the man talked was starting to give her a headache. "I was just looking around. I'm curious, simple as that."

"Curiosity, the driving force behind knowledge, but it can be both a gift and a curse," the old man said as he walked into the center of the room. "Pardon me while unpack."

He set the suitcase down and pulled out a wand. With a few flicks and a murmuring of words the bag opened and several objects flew out of it, arranging themselves around the place. Not only that, the dust that covered everything was all but swept away. In just a minute the place had gone from old and bleak to bright and almost new looking.

"How did you do that?" she asked in amazement. "Who are you?"

"Oh my, and I was criticizing YOUR manners," he said with a chuckle. "I am Merlin the Wizard."

"Merlin?" she exclaimed. "I've read about you! You're famous in the magician world."

"Really...well I wouldn't say famous...but thank you," he murmured almost in embarrassment.

"Whoo did you say you were?" an owl demanded climbing out of his small bird house.

"Thorn," she repeated realizing it was Merlin's pet Archemedies. "And it's a pleasure to meet you...Archemedies." He fluffed his feathers as he tried to calm himself.

"And where is it you READ about us?" He was a rather suspicious bird and Thorn could see that despite his suspicions, he was a kind and thoughtful fowl.

"Well, you see," Thorn said all but eager to speak to the fellow magician and his wise little owl. "I come from another world where magicians are trained. I myself was taught under Madam Lulu."

"Ah, yes," Merlin said in fond recall. "I do remember meeting a spry, dark mage by that name. I knew from the moment I saw her she was a promising individual, and now she's grown to be one of the most powerful mages in all the worlds. Not quite as seasoned as myself of course, but wisdom comes with age."

"So…" she said with anticipation. "Do… you see some potential in me too, Master Merlin?"

The old wizard looked her over carefully before smiling. "Indeed I do," he said now walking all around her. He pulled at her sleeves and raised her arms he continued his inspection muttering things to himself again and again. "Yes, yes! I can see you'll become a fine sorceress one day. Keep up your studies."

"A fine sorceress indeed," the owl humphed. "At her age I'm sure she'll lose interest the first time she sees a cute boy."

"So the stories really are true," Thorn said in mock amazement as she put on the nicest fake smile she could muster. "Merlin's owl really is obnoxiously annoying and says whatever he wants to even when there's no truth behind it."

"Wh-wh-what did you say?" The owl exclaimed, puffing up looking indignant.

"Now, now, settle down," Merlin said waving his hand at the bird. "Now, Miss…. Thorn, was it? Perhaps you'd like to perhaps give a demonstration of your abilities. Show me how much you've learned."

"I would be honored," Thorn said with a small bow. "And if you could teach me a thing or two that would make my whole lifetime!"

"Why, yes, I believe it's possible I could," Merlin said stroking his beard. "I certainly don't see why I couldn't. But one step at a time, my dear. First I want to know what you already know."

"Hmph, she already knows disrespect," Archemedies muttered.

Thorn found his response rather amusing. She knew how her comments could come out...and after his blatant disbelief of her skills, she couldn't help but set him right. Merlin on the other hand completely ignored him and gestured for Thorn to follow him as he headed up into the attic of the small building. In there, she was surprised to see that the center was cleared out making room for a training area...so to speak.

"Alright, I'm going to get this blasted thing started and you can just show me the basic of what you know," Merlin said pulling up his sleeve as he charmed the objects nearby. "These will be your targets. And go."

Thorn was more than excited about showing off to one of the greatest wizards in history. As the objects began flying around her head, she began with the basic elemental attacks she had learned before delving into the time and status spells she'd practiced with Yensid. She thought about possibly pulling her more powerful attack spells out but thought better of it as she really didn't want to bring the entire place down.

"I can see you're no stranger to hitting a moving target," Merlin observed. He gave a single wave of his wand the objects settled back down onto the floor. "You've got both good accuracy and decent casting time. The Madam Lulu has indeed taught you well."

"Thank you," thorn replied with a respectful bow of her head. "I've also been learning under the great Yensid."

"Is that so?" Merlin said clearly recognizing the name. "He must have seen something very special in you, as did the Mistress Lulu, and as do I. Now I want you to tell me, what is it that drives you? What do you believe magic is for?"

Thorn was a little caught off guard by the question. "Well, I've always liked magic. It's one of the few things I really enjoy. As far what makes me want to get stronger…" She thought of Zidane, Zell, and Irvine, as well as her new friends at the organization, especially Axel. "I want to be able to protect what's important to me."

Merlin smiled widely. "Exactly! Keeping those you care for safe...that kind of love makes the world go round," he exclaimed proudly.

"Hmph, well I for one don't bye it," Archemedies stated turning his head. "You just like the be the one everyone fears and no one can topple...isn't that right?" He demanded all of this getting right in her face. She probably would have drenched him out of irritation if she didn't see that this was simply his was of refusing to admit how much she impressed him. He was actually quite embarrassed to show any praise.

"Well, you'll just have to find out won't you," she said with a small laugh. "If you don't like what you see then I'll go and won't bother you again."

"Nonsense!" Merlin exclaimed. "You are welcome here any time you wish. Whether to practice your skills or just for a nice cup of tea, my door will always be open to you."

"I am honored," Thorn replied sincerely. "And you can definitely count on me being back. For now though, I'd better be going." She really wanted to stay but she didn't want to risk overstaying and having Xaldin come looking for her.

"Have a safe journey," Merlin said as she turned to leave. She noticed that Archemedies was looking in a completely different direction, but he too wished for her safety. Once she left the small building, she returned to the place where Xaldin had left her and waited. After a few minutes, she had started to grow bored and began playing with some stones she found on the street by floating them in the air and wizzing them around. It was like watching an air show...but with stones instead.

Eventually, tall dark and brooding returned and opened the portal without a word. She couldn't tell if the mission had been successful or not because of his never changing expression. He was definitely harder to read than Saix.

When she got back to the castle and Saix asked for her report on the mission the most she could say was "It went well." While Xaldin was giving the details Thorn slipped out of the room and headed over to see if Axel was back yet. Much to her immense joy, he was in his room relaxing on his bed with his eyes close. At first she thought he might be napping, but when she closed the door his eyes opened and his head turned to face her.

"Welcome back," he said with a smile.

It was remarkable how happy those two words made her feel.

"Thanks," she said taking off her cloak and falling backwards onto the bed beside him. "That was the most...interesting mission I've ever been on."

"Really, how's that?" he asked turning to the side and laying an arm across her stomach.

"Well...cause I could pretty much do what I wanted," she answered with a shrug. "Xaldin didn't want my help so he ditched me without telling me what the mission was as soon as we arrived. It was nice touring a world without having to worry about anyone else's' agenda."

"So how did you spend your time?" Axel asked curiously.

"Oh, you know," she said with a smile. "I did a little exploring, entertained myself." She really wanted to tell him about meeting one of the greatest wizard's of all time, but she was afraid of breaking some sort of confidentiality code. Next time she'd ask for permission. "What about you?"

"My mission was pretty humdrum, same ol' same ol'," he told her. "Nothing really worth elaborating on. I swear, I think Saix is trying to drive me to remember boredom."

"Speaking of Saix," Thorn said turning her body to face him. "Is he sick or something?"

"Nobodies don't get sick," Axel told her with a shake of his head. "Why do you ask?"

"Well...he didn't seem as angry with me today," she explained curiously.

"I honestly didn't know what to make of it." Axel sighed, he was sure it was because Saix now saw her as the key to regaining their hearts. He did seem a little bit...dare he say happier...when he finished explaining about her dreams. "Well, I'm pretty sure if nothing else it's just cause he's getting used to you being around," he answered with a shrug.

"Somehow I doubt it," Thorn sighed deciding to snuggle into his chest. It was really warm and very relaxing. Then as she lay there, she didn't know why but the desire to ask an old question again rose up inside of her until she couldn't keep from it any longer. "Say, Axel...do you remember what your time as a Somebody was like?"

Axel wrapped his arm around her, stroking it up and down her back. As he did he thought, was there really any harm in telling her now? "Well, you sort of already know."

Thorn looked up at him. "What do you mean?"

"Those dreams you've been having, about those two kids. Well, the red head is me, or who I used to be." As he explained, her eyes widened with disbelief and marvel. "And the other one…"

"Isa… he's Saix, isn't he?" she guessed.

"Yeah, big difference isn't it," he said with a laugh.

"He really did change," she murmured feeling a sense of sadness set in. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to have to deal with a Zell, Zidane, or Irvine that became as cold as Saix was. How did Axel do it? "So then, your name used to be Lea...and you used to have frisbees you thought were cool?"

"Hey, the frisbees _were_ cool," Axel cut in quickly. "Don't bad mouth the frisbees."

Thorn laughed at this. If what he said was right, and she really was seeing his past in her dreams, then more than ever she wished he could get his heart back. After all, if he did...and if Saix did as well...then maybe their lives would go back to normal.

"Axel," she pulled away slightly so she could look him full in the face. Her eyes were very serious and Axel looked at her curious as to what she could want to say with a face like that. "I promise...while I'm trying to find the hearts of my friends...I'll find yours and Saix's as well. I promise I'll find them."

Axel stared at her, looking rather taken aback by this declaration. After a while though, he smiled and reached up to cup her cheek before kissing her firm and full on the mouth. Thorn's heart skyrocketed and she was kissing back without a moment's hesitation.

When they parted, Thorn just stared at him wordlessly and he gave a small laugh. "Sorry, it just seemed like the appropriate time to do that."

"Ah, well, you were right on that," Thorn said turning away a little. Then she muttered, "For future reference, I don't think there is a wrong time for that."

Axel gave another laugh. "So you like it when I do that to you."

Thorn frowned and turned away even more. "Well, I don't hate it," she said trying not to reveal any more than that.

"I'll take that as a yes then," Axel said pulled her into him once more. "It's fun finding things that make you squirm."

"Sh-shut up," she muttered pulling away from him. She was trying very hard not to allow any pink or even a smile to show on her face, but he made it almost impossible to hide anything. "I'm going to sleep now. Maybe I'll see what else you did when you were a kid. Maybe I'll find something really embarrassing."

"Heh, that is a scary thought," Axel chuckled. Her back was once more to him, but this time around he knew that wouldn't last for too long. Leaning over, he smoothed some of her hair away and kissed the back of her neck, causing her to shiver. Then he rolled onto his back and told her, "Sweet dreams."

Thorn waited for several moments before she trusted herself enough to look over at him. His eyes were closed but she knew it was too soon for him to be asleep. Not unless he was dead tired. She rubbed the place on her neck where his lips touched. She wanted them there again. It was scary, almost, how drawn she was to him.

After a moment or two of waiting...she couldn't stand the distance any longer and rolled over. She put her head on his arm and draped her own arm across his chest. "Night, Axel," she murmured softly.

He cracked one eye open and looked down at her. Yeah, having her in the crook of his arm, that's the feeling he enjoyed going to sleep with.

* * *

CM: Oh the cuteness. I loves it. Finally Saix is warming up a little. So what fun adventures await? See next chapter to find out. We'll do our best to get em up faster for ya.


	26. True Name

**Chapter 26: True Name**

The next morning, Thorn discovered that there were no missions for her that day so instead she was stuck with more castle cleaning. It wasn't too bad; she went down to the cells where she'd last cleaned, found where she'd left off and started once more. The cleaning took her down the hall and up the stairwell to the next floor. This floor had a few doors leading to different rooms that she was sure would have to each be cleaned. By this time the day was halfway over and she wasn't sure how far she'd be required to go until she'd be considered finished for the day.

Hours later, she slowly made her way to Saix's room to let him know she'd finished. Part way through the night he'd stopped by to check on her. He'd told her to finish the rooms on that floor and report to him before retiring to bed. Now it was that time and she was prepared to collapse on the spot and sleep. But she wanted to prove that she could handle it so she kept on trudging along until she reached his door.

Thorn gave a soft knock, but no answer. She tried again a little harder but still nothing. So she tried the handle and found it was unlocked. Should she dare? She had a small war in her head until the more curiosity driven side won out and she slowly and quietly cracked the door open and poked her head in. Saix was inside, standing next to his window, his back facing her, staring out into the sky.

She thought about speaking to him to get his attention, but something made her go into his room and approach him. Thorn made two steps before his voice halted her.

"Do you always come into someone else's quarter without being invited?" Even though he spoke to her he did not turn around.

"I… just wanted to let you know I was done cleaning the areas you wanted," Thorn replied awkwardly. She couldn't help but think about the boy she'd seen in her dreams. Not quite so harsh and cold.

"That's fine," he said without turning around. "You can go now."

Thorn nodded and was about to head out ready to sleep the night away, but something kept her from going. It was the thought of how he once was, as a child. She sighed and instead of leaving, approached him slowly.

"Is there something else you need?" he asked coldly. "If not then do leave. You are imposing yourself on my personal space."

Thorn wasn't sure what to say. She really couldn't think of any other reason to stay and was really looking forward to sleep, but still something kept her there. When Saix didn't hear her say anything or leave, he sighed and turned to face her. As his eyes brushed over her, Thorn thought for sure she caught a glimpse of a sliver of the boy he once was.

She blinked a few times as he asked her what she wanted. "I just wanted to let you know," she said fighting down the urge to just leave without saying anything. "You're heart is out there somewhere, and I'm gonna find it. I promise." With that she turned and left.

Saix sighed and turned back to the window. He'd long forgotten what it was like to feel anything. He himself chose to forego memories of his previous life, refusing to remember what it had been like before. He was dead inside.

Yet that girl was here now, promising to change all of that. For the first time in a long time, something stirred to life inside of him.

* * *

A week after her little declaration things seemed to be moving rather smoothly. Saix was almost never ragging on her, and when she talked to him, he didn't seem as cold. She was sure this was as close as she was going to get to having him happy with her. Beyond that, the lab still didn't seem to be finished with its repairs so despite not having any missions during this time, she still enjoyed herself while managing to get halfway through the castle.

She suspected Saix must have been pleased with her work or something like that because the day after she'd hit the midway point, she was given another mission with Axel. That's actually where she was now. Sitting on top of a large tent with Axel as they couldn't exactly stand without falling off or through the top. All around them were animals of different sizes being herded through the biggest tent and once the crowd was done cheering something about the animal, they'd take it back to what looked like a train car.

"Huh, so this is a circus...kind of weird if you ask me," Thorn muttered watching the strange slow parade.

"Yep, and for some reason people seem to get a real kick out of it," Axel noted as he too observed the performance below. "Personally I was never a fan of watching animals jumping through hoops."

"I agree," Thorn replied. "They're not meant to be in cages like that. And those clowns are so creepy."

"Creepy how?" Axel asked looking at her.

"Just look at their hair and weird clothes and all that make up," she said gesturing. "It's creepy."

"Like you're one to talk," Axel said poking her on the face. "You wear makeup all the time, and I'm pretty sure that purple in your hair isn't natural."

"Yeah, with the difference being my makeup and hair makes me look badass," Thorn said in her defense. "I like to leave a striking impression for the people who do see me."

"I dunno," Axel said scratching his head. "I think you look fine with or without it. And you certainly don't need it to leave an impression."

She blushed slightly at the comment but kept watching the show. "So, we're looking for a giant heartless right? Just one?" Thorn asked taking the topic off of herself.

"Yep, supposedly Demyx saw the guy in charge trying to get it to perform," Axel answered shaking his head. "Idiot probably has no idea what it'll do to this crowd."

"Ring Master."

"What?"

"Ring Master...that's what the guy in charge is called," Thorn told him. "Anyway, you are right...if he is trying to get a performance out of a heartless without dying from it...he really is an idiot."

The two continued to watch until the ring master announced the grand finale. Through the tent flaps walked out a very tall heartless with spindly legs, long zigzagging arms, and a head that appeared to be made from stacking cups. It was holding a baton in each hand. At the ring masters command, the heartless began to juggle the batons while walking around the ring area. The crowd cheered and the ring leader asked if they wanted more. When they gave a positive response he cracked his whip and the heartless spat fire onto the batons and continued juggling.

"Should we get it now?" Thorn asked Axel.

He shook his head. "I think we'd only start a panic if we dropped in and interrupted the show."

"That or we could make it look like it's part of the show," Thorn suggested.

"We aren't supposed to be seen, remember?" he told her poking her head. "The only way we'd actually get in the middle of this is if that thing stopped being so obedient and started attacking the crowd."

"I guess in that case we should just enjoy the show then," she replied smartly as she rubbed the spot where he poked her.

The two did so, keeping their eyes out for any sign that the heartless would direct its attacks towards the crowd. Something seemed a little off about the whole thing though as the Ring Master appeared to have complete control. In what seemed like forever, the heartless' performance ended and was led out of the tent.

"That heartless was being controlled," Thorn muttered staring at the Ring Master while Axel kept his eye on the heartless. "That Ring Master has...something that allowed it to completely control that heartless. I don't really understand how it's supposed to work, but it has something to do with that whip of his."

Axel thought about what she was saying and figured it was the best theory to go on. But the big question was where did the guy get such an item? "Let's go do a little digging then."

Axel and Thorn both teleported to the ground and began wander the circus grounds while making sure to keep out of sight. Most of the carnies were relaxing in their tents while the majority of the animals were back in their cages with an after show meal. Seeing the animals locked up like that, forced to perform in front of an audience, it made her gut churn. At least they seemed to be receiving proper treatment.

"Where would he keep something like that?" Thorn asked Axel. It was ludicrous, the idea of putting a heartless in cage. Especially since this heartless appeared more humanistic than animalistic.

"Well, my guess would be that he'd keep somewhere isolated from everything and everyone else," Axel suggested looking at all the buildings around them. "But it would still have to be somewhere big to keep it out of sight."

"Right," Thorn thought looking around as well. "I doubt he'd let the others look after it either. Which means it would have to be readily accessible to his abode." She spotted a single trailer off on the edge with something rather large standing next to it. "That's got to be it," she said pointing it out.

When they got to the building Thorn pushed the door open and nearly gasped. The heartless was inside, sitting down, its long legs bent and its arms curled up. Its head was lowered, the ceiling not nearly high enough to accommodate its height. The most shocking part of it was it was chained up.

"This is just sick," Thorn muttered.

Even if it was a heartless… surely it didn't deserve this.

"Well, it is a heartless so I doubt it really cares where it is since it comes right out of the shadows," Axel pointed out. "But I do see what you mean...and all it would take is for it to get loose just once and all their hearts would probably be stolen." He reached up thinking about just breaking the chains and letting it run wild.

"Axel, let's just end it," Thorn muttered cutting through his thoughts. "We don't really need any more casualties and doing so would free them anyway."

He sighed but shrugged and headed back to her side. "Well, you'd better do it then," he told her. "Since it uses fire I doubt my attacks would damage it at all."

She nodded and raised her hand gathering her magic power as she prepared an ice attack. Before she could release it, however, the sound of a whip cracking broke the silence and they turned to see the Ring Master standing in the doorway brandishing his whip.

"Who are you and what are you doing in here with my star attraction?" he demanded. "After losing my last great attraction I refuse to allow you to steal this magnificent beast."

"Look, idiot," Thorn said having had just about enough of all this circus crap. "You have no idea what you're dealing with. This creature is dangerous."

"I know exactly what it is, young lady," the ring master sniffed. "A heartless, correct? A being of darkness that seeks out hearts."

"If you know that much, why are you keeping it?" Axel asked, believing now more than ever the guy was a complete moron. That or he was just crazy.

"I've been given power over it, and I control its actions. It won't hurt me or anyone else." He paused then said with an unpleasant smile, "Unless I command it to, of course."

"So, where is this sorceress who gave you this info and that whip?" Thorn demanded staring him down. "Because you do realize that the moment you lose track of that whip all your power over it is gone."

"How...how did you know that?" he asked taking a surprised step backwards.

"I can see it plain as day," Thorn muttered irately. "But I guess it doesn't really matter since this big guy isn't going to be here any longer."

"What do you mean?"

"She means we're going to kill it," Axel muttered staring him down as well.

"No! I won't allow it!" the ringmaster said. Then with a wave of his arm he cracked the whip and the heartless stiffened at attention. It rose up onto its feet, the ceiling breaking apart and the chains pulled free from their stakes in the ground. "Destroy them!" the ring master ordered to the heartless.

"Somehow I knew it was going to end up like this," Axel sighed, drawing out his weapons.

"Keep it distracted for me," Thorn said preparing a strong spell.

"Heh, right," he replied with a smile.

She stood in place drawing on her power once more while Axel got the heartless' attention and attacked it again and again without using any of his fire. It didn't take too long for Thorn to gather the necessary power for the desired spell and when she was finished she told him to get out of the way and shouted out its name. "Blizzaga!" she shouted releasing the power in one large blast that froze it over. Then under its frozen state, it shattered releasing the pent up hearts within it. "Whew...what was that about not allowing us to destroy it?"

"You...what are you?" he demanded taking several steps back now. "I...if I can't keep that thing...then I'll control you. With that magic of yours you'd become the greatest attraction ever."

"Ain't gonna happen," Axel muttered coming up behind him and smacking him on the back of the head knocking him out. "Well, that was fun."

Thorn rolled her eyes before they fell on the whip lying on the floor next to the man. "Where in the world did he get it?" she wondered out loud. She bent down to pick it up, but as she reached for it, the whip was engulfed in bright green fire. She jumped back to avoid the tongues of the flames and they both watched as the whip disintegrated and disappeared into smoke.

"What was that?" Axel asked staring at the place where the weapon had disappeared.

"That was magic," Thorn murmured. Rubbing the hand that had almost touched the fire. "Very dark magic not of this world."

"What a sharp mind," a soft and creepily gentle voice spoke into the air. "You learned of the truth behind the heartless' control as well as its source. You even determined that someone like me delivered said item." Thorn and Axel started turning their heads left and right trying to determine where the voice was coming from. Then from a point in between them a dark shrouded woman erupted out of the dark green flames from before. "How did you deduce where the foolish man received his power?"

Thorn took one look at the woman and felt her stomach churn. It was enough to make her nearly hurl right there on the floor and it took all her will power to keep the bile from rising. "That," she muttered in her most dangerous voice. "Has nothing to do with you. But I must ask you to tell me your name...Sorceress."

"Such insolence," the woman sniffed. "It is only proper courtesy to give your name before asking someone for theirs. But no matter, I am Malificent."

In all her life Thorn had never seen a heart so saturated by darkness before. Years of darkness and evil deeds shrouded this woman and the young mage knew this wasn't someone she wanted to go one on one with if she could avoid it. While looking at the woman's heart made her ill, something caught her attention. She saw the boy Riku, and was crestfallen to find he was helping this woman in a fight against his friend Sora. Not only that… there was another face… a face that looked vaguely familiar.

"So then, Maleficent, just how many lives...in how many worlds have you tortured?" Thorn muttered darkly. She felt like she knew the other face...and then before she knew it, she spotted two others that also looked familiar. She was going to say something more before realizing that doing so would be dropping hints about how she knew what she knew...and about her ability. The last thing she wanted was that sorceress going after her as well.

"Thorn just leave it," Axel's voice sounded as he appeared behind her. "We're done here so let's just go." He could tell just by looking at her that something was seriously wrong with the situation and he didn't want to stay any longer than he had to.

"Thorn...what an intriguing name," Maleficent said with a smile as she put her hands out and began lifting the young girl into the air. "Well then, I invoke your name, Thorn. You will tell me what it is you have that can read a person so clearly."

"Tch, forget it," Thorn muttered trying to focus on gathering her power so she could force the sorceress to release her.

"I see, so it is not your real name," Maleficent murmured thoughtfully pulling Thorn ever closer. "Then I shall just see it myself."

"Come and try!" Thorn shouted. She was about to show this sorceress she wasn't someone to be messed with, but before she could two flaming chakrams rushed past her towards the witch. Malificent easily deflected them but it was enough to break her concentration to loosen her hold on Thorn. In that time Axel had grabbed Thorn by the arm and pulled her through the portal he'd opened.

After a quick trip through the darkness Thorn found herself back in Twilight Town. She pulled her arm out of Axel's grip frowning at him. "What was that for? I had it under control."

"Yeah, you keep telling yourself that," Axel said looking rather irritate himself. "There was no more reason for us to be there. Our mission was done. That's it, the end. So why go picking a fight you were going to lose?"

"I wasn't picking a fight," she declared vehemently. "I was defending myself that's all." She chewed on her lip slightly as she thought about the familiar faces that the sorceress had come in contact with and felt her blood boil slightly. Maybe she was picking a fight...for their sake. "Besides, I was just going to show her that I too am a powerful sorceress that should not be messed with."

"Please, it was clear she had more power than you and you knew it which is why you looked so terrified," Axel shot back.

"I wasn't scared," Thorn snapped. "And what was the deal with shouting my name out in front of her like that. Luckily it wasn't my actual name but still. I could have been in serious trouble if it was."

"Are names really that important?" Axel demanded dubiously.

"Where magic is concerned, yes," Thorn said rubbing her arms as though she had the chills. "Giving someone your name means giving them the chance to have control over you."

Axel scowled and scratched furiously at his head. "In that case, I'm sorry about that," he muttered. "But next time when I tell you to just leave it, would you just leave it? I don't want you getting hurt because you decide to do something crazy."

Thorn looked at him and wondered… had he been… worried about her? "…Sorry," she murmured, suddenly feeling rather guilty.

Axel was a little surprised but shook his head and smiled. "Well, what's done is done. I don't think we'll have to worry about that witch following us. So let's just enjoy the rest of our free time before we have to RTC."

"Sure," Thorn agreed leading the way to the tower. Along the way they picked up their preferred ice cream before making it to the top and sitting on the edge. "I'll admit...that woman...I've never seen a heart darker or more saturated with evil than that. It was terrifying and made me sick to my stomach seeing all of it and how proud she was of it."

"I figured it was something like that," Axel muttered next to her taking a bite of his ice cream. "So then...mind if I ask what your name actually is? Not like I can really use it for anything." He wanted to change the topics to lift her spirits some and get her mind of the very close encounter.

Thorn hunched her shoulders. "I'd rather not… I don't really like my name."

"You already know mine though," Axel pointed out taking a bite of his treat. "Come on, just tell me."

Thorn nibbled at her ice pop in order to buy herself some time. Axel kept pushing a pressing it until she finally caved. "Alright, but if you tell anyone I swear you will rue the day you ever met me."

Axel let out a laugh at her declaration. "I promise," he said with sincerity.

The goth girl lowered her head and sighed before releasing two hushed syllables. "Eva."

"Eva?" Axel repeated. He took another bite of ice cream. "Is it short for anything?"

"Yes," Thorn said in distaste. "It's short for Evangeline but no one has ever called me that since…" she trailed off and quickly rerouted her sentence. "Anyway, that's my real name and you are never to call me by it."

"I don't get it," Axel murmured taking another bite. "Evangeline...that's a really nice name and I think it suits you."

"What did I just say?" she demanded rounding on him.

"Hey, I just repeated it..I didn't actually call you it," Axel pointed out. "Anyway, why hate it?"

"I just do," she retorted looking in the opposite direction. She was trying hard not to look at him and found it to be very difficult.

"It can't be that bad," Axel pointed out. "I mean heck, the only reason my name right now is different is because the leader mixed the letters around and jammed an X wherever he felt like it."

Thorn chuckled slightly at that and sighed as she finally looked over at him. "Fine...but just don't..."

"Don't go telling anyone," Axel finished with a grin. "Hey, I got it memorized. So...?"

Thorn didn't want to say anymore but, dammit, she didn't like keeping things from him. "The reason why I don't use my name is because growing up people used to always call me…" she closed her eyes as if that might safeguard her from the memory. "…Evil Eva."

She waited for Axel to laugh, but he didn't. "That… must have really sucked," he said frowning lightly.

Thorn nodded, her expression dark. "Shortly before high school, I changed my name, and then shortly after I changed my look." She pulled back her sleeve, revealing the vine of thorns wrapped around her arms and coiled around her wrist. "If people were going to be afraid of me, I was at least going to give them a reason to be."

Several moments passed and then Axel released a chuckle and Thorn glared at him. "What's so funny?"

"I just think it's funny so many people were terrified of you," Axel said with a grin.

"Why wouldn't they be?" Thorn demanded. "I'm very terrifying."

"Please, you're like a kitten who thinks she's a tiger." He wasn't intentionally trying to get her mad, but he'd rather her be that than all depressed and gloomy. Maybe he could try doing that thing she liked…

He reached over and lifted her chin towards him before getting in really close and making her eyes widen as her cheeks turned the slightest bit pink. "Do you think I should be afraid of you?" he whispered, breathing heavily on her face.

"N-no," she murmured finding herself enough to smile and close the gap herself. "Unless you don't want your darkest memories to become easy access to me." She said this after pulling away and taking another bite of her ice cream. "Really though...I'd rather not have people be afraid of me. I think that's why I pretty much quit talking about hearts in front of people...no matter how much I wanted to. My knowledge about their lives really freaked them out."

"Well...it is pretty disconcerting to have you just know all," Axel pointed out. "But I hey if it'll help you find our hearts, more power to ya."

Thorn's smile widened at this and she licked her lips a little. Axel couldn't discern the strange expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing really," she said, her cheeks turning pinker by the second. "It's just… uh… I could taste the sea salt ice cream."

Axel was a little surprised by the unexpected comment and smiled. "Sorry, do you not want me kissing you while I'm eating this?"

Thorn shook her head. "No, it's fine… it's not so bad when…" she looked away realizing what she was saying. "Oh, geez, just forget I said anything."

"It doesn't taste as bad when it's on me?" he finished for her watching her face turn even redder.

"No, that's not it," she said quickly getting to her feet. "But I'm not going to tell you what it really was either."

"Haha...sure," Axel laughed getting up as well. The sun had pretty much set by this point and he was sure it was about time they headed back. "Time to RTC," he said finishing off his own ice cream and opening the portal.

"Right," she muttered heading in without another word. It wasn't that she didn't want to say anything else to him...it was that she was sure that doing so would betray her true feelings and she didn't want that after her embarrassing comment earlier.

* * *

"Thorn! Hey, Thorn!"

The dark haired female stopped in the middle of hall and Demyx was practically running down the passage to meet her. He skidded to a halt when he reached her, a little winded. He really hated exercise of any kind, but whenever he saw Thorn he just felt compelled to run to her. It was weird.

"Haven't seen you in a while," he said with a wheezing laugh. "I don't suppose you got a spare minute? It's been a while since we jammed. Come on, come play with me. "

That was the other weird thing. Before, Demyx hadn't minded just shutting himself away with his bay and rockin' out solo. However, now that he'd found someone else who shared his passion for music, it just wasn't as much fun without her.

Thorn stared at him for a long, looking as though this was her first time seeing him.

"Why in this nonexistent world would I ever want to go and...play with you?" she asked scathingly. Her eyebrows had furrowed slightly making her look almost as if she was seeing something disgusting.

"But...you always liked jamming out," Demyx replied in confusion. Something inside him started twisting and he didn't like it.

"Oh please, you're a sad pathetic little creature whose very existence is laughable," she told him turning to face him with a derisive smirk on her face.

"Thorn…" Why was she being so mean? She was acting a lot like Larxene. "S-Stop kidding around… it's not funny."

"What's funny is you actually think I'm kidding," she said brushing her hair back. "Didn't you ever think maybe the reason I don't come around anymore is because I'm sick of looking at your stupid face? Do us both a favor and leave me alone. You can play just fine by yourself." She turned, then paused and added, "Oh, and get a new haircut while you're at it."

Demyx gaped after her as she left, unable to believe what just happen. It felt like Dusks were making knots inside his stomach and the sensation left him feeling sick and miserable. He stared down at the floor, wondering what he'd done wrong to make her so angry.

"But… it's no fun playing by myself."

* * *

CM: Quite a bit going on here, yeah? Malificent being the big baddie in KH that she is, we felt it was only right to include her. And things seem to be going well with Thorn and Axel. Saix is in a decent mood for a change. But poor Demyx... poor, poor Demyx. He is a sad panda. :( Could this be a prelude to some greater heartache I wonder? Keep watch for the next chapter to find out.


	27. When Fire Burns Too Hot

**Chapter 27: When Fire Burns Too Hot**

It had to be summer in The World That Never Was. That was the only explanation for it to be so hot and stuffy in the castle. Thorn was rather surprised since the place didn't appear as if it had any sort of climate to speak of. Several times that day she'd been so tempted to just remove her cloak, but the one time she did and Saix found her he instructed her to put it back on to maintain propriety. Thorn suspected he was just shy about seeing that much skin on a girl.

She was grateful to at last be done for the day and the second she was in Axel's room she tore the cloak off and tossed it aside without even folding it.

"I can't take much more of this," Thorn muttered going over to the bed. "I'm burning up."

"Really?" Axel said looking very much at ease. "I'm quite comfortable myself."

"Well I'm sure if it was ice cold you'd still be fine," Thorn muttered in irritation. "That fire of yours regulates your body temperature doesn't it." Axel just grinned at her and she rolled her eyes before turning over to face away from him. "Don't touch me tonight. I'm sure I'll fry even more with your added body heat."

Axel laughed at this sure that she was spouting whatever came to mind and that she'd rather not have any of their sleeping habits change. So to make her feel more comfortable and to tease her a bit as well, he removed his cloak for once and draped a bare arm over her middle and pulled her flush up against his bare chest. Thorn could immediately feel the difference in the amount of cloth between them and nervously reached her hand back feeling fabric that started at his waist. While feeling relieved that his lower half was indeed covered, she felt the heat rise in her face when she confirmed the bare skin of his top.

"This a little better?" Axel asked her.

Thorn tried to crawl away but the second she made the movement to do so Axel's grip tightened, preventing her escape. "No, and what's the big idea stripping for? Put your cloak back on."

"You're not embarrassed are you?" Axel asked grinning as he nuzzled her neck and shoulders. "You're comfortable enough to talk about sex, so a little skin should be nothing for you."

"This is different," Thorn grated trying not to succumb to her urges. "Now let go already."

"Oh, I see what's wrong," Axel said loosening his grip a little. Instead of letting her go, however, he merely turned her over so she was facing him and pulled her up against him that way. "There, maybe you'd prefer this."

Thorn glared at him as her eyes immediately noticed his well toned chest which her hands were against as she tried to push him away. However, as she pushed, she couldn't help but noticed how firm it was and how smooth his skin felt. She noticed pretty quickly where her thoughts were going and leaned back as far as she could without using her hands to push him off. She had to resist every urge to touch his chest again and explore his abs and other parts of his bare front. Eventually Axel figured she'd had enough and loosened his grip allowing her to scoot away.

"Something wrong?" he laughed seeing the expression on her face. "Oh I get it, you may talk like sex isn't a big deal, but when it comes down to it, you've never so much as touched someone else's bare skin have you?"

Thorn's face turned red at this and she quickly set her face so as not to reveal anything. "You'd be wrong about that," she stated in what was a surprisingly calm voice. "I've been with loads of men...you're definitely not the first."

"Right," Axel said not believing her for a second. "That's why your face is all red."

"It's hot and I'm tired, of course my face is going to be red," Thorn declared.

It was so hard for Axel not to laugh. He never would have imagined a girl like this to be so shy. "If it'll make you feel better, you're free to take your top off," he stated jokingly.

"In your dreams," she snapped, irritation creeping back into her voice.

"Does that mean I have your permission to dream?" Axel asked keeping back another laugh. Thorn gritted her teeth but managed to keep from hitting him. To be perfectly honest, a part of her mind hoped he would.

"Just go to sleep already," she said feeling irritated that he was able to get under her skin so easily. Then the thought occurred to her...if she left it the way it was, it would almost be like giving up. She wasn't going to lose to him...and she suddenly had a few ideas of how to dish out the payback.

Turning over Thorn crawled towards him and leaned over him with her hands flat down on his chest, appearing as though she were pinning him. He stared up at her curiously and she gave him a wicked grin before she began rubbing her hands over him. She alternated between pushing with the palms of her hands to lightly scratching her nails over his skin. Axel's face remained passive but his body gave an involuntary twitch.

Thorn felt a spark of gratification at this. It had indeed been a while since she'd felt a man's bare chest beneath her fingers, and she had to admit, she was very much enjoying herself more than she ever had before.

'So that's how it was going to be, was it?' thought Axel. He had to admit, she'd taken him by surprise, and he couldn't deny he was kind of enjoying it. However, something in him told him he couldn't let her get away with this. The fact she was doing this meant she was outright challenging him.

He reached his hands up and began to stroke her own bare parts...her stomach, sides and even the area just above her breasts.

Thorn's hands twitched slightly at the sudden unexpected contact but she quickly recomposed herself before returning to her own revenge. Her fingers now were massaging the chest, shoulder and neck areas as she repositioned herself in a straddle over top of him.

In response he began sliding his fingers underneath the fabric on her top moving one hand higher as he moved the other lower both heading to the two mounds that were still hidden from his view.

Thorn had to fight to keep herself from making a sound of pleasure at the slow strokes over the top of her abdomen that continued to close in on one of her more intimate areas. Now she was going to start dropping the big guns. She leaned closer to him and started kissing his exposed skin while she continued stroking and massaging it. She even went so far as to allow her tongue to slip out once or twice smiling against his skin as he twitched in those seconds.

Refusing to let her keep the upper hand, Axel slid one of the hands under her shirt around to her back and pulled her up against him. Then pushing some of her dark locks out of the way he began using his lips and teeth on the curvature of her neck. Thorn grit her teeth as a delightful rush of sensations his mouth brought. He didn't stop there, kissing up her neck and up to her ear. Thorn let slip a muffled moan when she felt his teeth lightly bite on the soft cartilage.

Meanwhile, his hands were still roaming, stroking and massaging her bare skin. If Thorn thought she was hot before, she must have been close to combustion now. But all her mind was able to focus on was the man beneath her was doing to her. She couldn't let him win though. Not this time.

Doing her best to keep herself in check, she turned so that she was the one nibbling on his ear, then taking it one step farther, she allowed her hands to trace down his side to start playing with the edge of his pants. Her fingers slipped under the edge rubbing the skin directly underneath and gave it light tugs. She kept at it when she noticed that his eyes closed and his hands paused momentarily on her back. She was sure, she won. Then he slowly opened his eyes again and stole her lips pulling her closer into him. It was then that she noticed the bulge that was pressing against the inside of one of her legs. An alarm went off in her head and she quickly retreated to her own side of the bed and turned away from him.

"Okay...you win," she said quickly keeping her voice as calmly as she possibly could.

Thorn's pulse was racing and she felt like such a tease. She wanted to keep going, but she didn't feel like either of them were ready to go that far. Not mentally anyway. Physically her body was more than ready for it if the dampness between her legs was any indication.

She wasn't the only one who was feeling unfulfilled and weird. It was worse for Axel because he had a harder time identifying just what exactly his mind and body were trying to tell him. The best he could describe it was it was like sprinting towards a goal and suddenly a wall pops out of nowhere. Dammit how the heck did they manage to go from having fun to incredibly awkward?

Axel scratched at his cheek, wondering how to amend this situation. He turned to look at her. "Hey… come back over here."

Thorn didn't budge. "I'm not sure that's a great idea right now."

"You scared?" Axel teased lightly. He may not know how to describe his own reactions, but he'd been around her long enough to know this was her something spooked her and now she won't approached what did it.

"I'm not scared," she insisted not sure what to do. She knew that if she kept facing the way she was he was going to get annoyed by it and forced herself to turn over and talk to him which would make the whole situation even worse. So, little by little she turned over herself and looked up at him. "See, everything is fine." She still didn't get close enough to call it normal for them but she really didn't want to either.

"You're trying to sleep aren't you," he pointed out as he draped one arm out. He really wanted things to return to normal quickly. "How to do you expect to sleep without your pillow?"

Thorn was still hesitant. She had a bad habit of jumping into things, and she knew she wouldn't hesitate to give herself to him if it came to it. "Just… no more teasing for tonight, okay?"

When Axel nodded in agreement, she placed herself into her usual spot against him. Axel hugged her lightly and gave her a short kiss which she returned. It was a silent communication that everything was still okay between them. "Do you want me to put my cloak back on?" he asked out of consideration.

Thorn shook her head. "No…" She gave a little cough before wrapping and arm around his bare stomach. "You can keep it off."

* * *

The next morning was somewhat awkward as Thorn said goodbye to Axel before he headed off for his mission. They tried not to make it so, but after the cut off excitement from the night before neither of them really knew what to say to each other. So after Axel left, Thorn faced Saix and tried to keep her thoughts off of it. Fortunately for her, there were no missions which meant back to cleaning the castle. She went back to where she'd last left on, the next to the last floor, and started up again relieved that she can do such a mindless task that her mind was allowed to relax and not have to think about anything.

About halfway through the day, Saix came to check on her. When he was satisfied with what she was doing he turned to leave. "Hey, Saix, just so you know...I still have no desire to return to the lab," she called out remembering what he'd promised her before she began.

At this declaration, Saix came to a gradual stop before turning around to face her. He wasn't upset looking like she thought he might be. No… amusement was the closest thing she could relate to what was going on in his features.

"Is that so?" he asked slowly.

* * *

For Axel it was your usual humdrum mission. Seek out a big boy heartless that was causing trouble in the world. It couldn't be helped he supposed. Some members were better suited for recon, while others were better at pest control. Today he was in back in the wildlife world he and Thorn had first visited on their extended mission. The one where they both had their big blow out. Not exactly the fondest time they'd had together.

Still, that spat had led to better things. Like last night. At least he had thought so. Axel hadn't a clue how she'd felt about it and he didn't want to have to ask. She had _seemed_ to be having fun, and then suddenly she just pulled away.

He was extremely confused by the whole thing, but he was sure that if she had a good enough reason she'd tell him. Pushing thoughts of the night before to the back of his mind, he turned his focus on the task at hand and started forward. It wasn't long after he started that he felt another presence nearby and turned to see who or what it was. He was surprised to see Thorn trying to disentangle herself from one of the many plants that grew along the area.

"Would you quit staring and get over here to help me?" she demanded looking over at him.

He was having a hard time not laughing at the sight and doing so only made her glare at him. "There, and dare I ask how you managed to get stuck?" he asked after helping her get loose.

"I was trying to follow you and took a short cut," Thorn answered simply. "I tried getting your attention but you were deep in your own thoughts you didn't even notice."

"What are you even doing out here?" Axel asked her. "I thought Saix had you on cleaning duty today."

"Well, he did," Thorn said with a small smile. "But then he decided to send me after you instead. After all, we make such a great team."

Axel nodded in agreement but he had an idea there was more to it than that. Saix probably was just doing this to push the two of them closer together so she could find their hearts faster. Well, whatever the reason, the company wasn't objectionable. She seemed to also be acting fairly normally, not distant or repelling at all. He thought about bringing up the night before but instead decided just to leave it. No sense trying to fix what wasn't broken.

"Well, let's go," Axel said starting to lead the way through the forest. "Did Saix tell you want the mission was?"

"No, he said you'd explain it when I got here," Thorn replied easily keeping pace.

"Okay, so basically it's just one of those find the really big heartless and destroy it missions," Axel explained with a small laugh. "I always seem to get the jobs that entail destruction."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing," Thorn pointed out. "At least this time around you've got me right?"

"Haha, yeah I do," he laughed wrapping one arm around her shoulder. "Now how about we go finish this thing so we can get out of this dump."

Thorn nodded enthusiastically and the two continued their search.

They first searched around the jungle area. When they came across the clearing they'd stayed the night in, Axel took a moment to reflect. He could feel Thorn watching him closely.

"You alright?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he said waving her concern away. "Just remembering." Thorn was silent for several moments and he wondered if she was remembering it too.

"We should hurry," she said finally, moving away from the area.

Axel followed her, deciding maybe she didn't want to remember. He couldn't blame her for not wanting to talk about it, but he at least thought the two of them could get a laugh out of it.

They began traversing the long winding path towards the savanna area. The entire time she was relatively quiet unless he spoke to her first. It wasn't as though she was trying to avoid conversation, but more that she was unsure of what to say or talk about.

As they started passing into the canyon, a loud whirring noise reached their ears followed shortly by a large brown heartless came spinning out of the entrance to the canyon, just skimming over Axel's head as it sped passed and landed on the ground several feet behind them. Once it landed it began to unfold itself until it was standing 10 ft tall on two legs with four arms out to the side and two more holding long sharp blades.

"Is that the target?" Thorn asked surprised by its size.

"Yep, that's it," Axel muttered pulling out his chakram. He was beginning to see why sending someone like Larxene to finish this was a bad idea.

"Well, let's destroy him quickly so we can call it a day."

"Sounds good to me," Thorn called back lifting both her hands as she gathered her magic.

It turned out Saix had the right idea about sending her out. With the two of them working together they were able to take down the giant heartless in less than half the time it might have otherwise taken. Not because it was too strong for Axel to handle, of course, but the thing enjoyed running and jumping around a lot. When the thing was finished off Axel turned to his partner.

"Mission accomplished," he said with a grin. "Thanks for the back up."

"Who are you kidding?" Thorn replied with a smile. "I was owning that fight."

Axel chuckled and decided to humor. "Anyway, our job's done here. Time for our celebration."

"Celebration?"

"Yeah, you know, ice cream?"

"Oh, right... I guess I'm more tired than I thought," she muttered brushing some hair out of her face. "Well, lead the way."

Axel nodded and opened a portal, motioning for her to go in first. He wasn't really surprised to hear she was tired...all that meant was that she really didn't get any sleep after what happened last night. He had to admit, he got a little bit less than he would have liked as well. When they came out on the other side, he told her to head for the tower while he grabbed the sweets and met her at the top with both ice creams in his hands.

"Here ya go, spicy ice pop for you and sea salt ice cream for me," he said sitting down next to her.

"Thanks," she said taking the ice cream from him.

They fell back into silence both staring out towards the sunset. After a few minutes, Axel noticed Thorn hadn't touched her ice cream.

"Your ice cram is melting," he told her.

She looked down at it, shrugged, then gazed back outwards.

He frowned a little. "What's wrong?" he asked. "Not hungry?"

"Something like that," she replied languidly. "But I suppose I shouldn't let it go to waste." Then she tossed it outwards and shot it with a fire ball. She laughed. "Bulls eye."

"Hey, I told you no destroying the ice cream," Axel exclaimed. "If you don't want it say something I won't get you any next time."

"It's not that I didn't want any," she said with a shrug. "I just felt like watching something explode. Better it than you right?"

"Right," Axel thought keeping a close eye on her. Girls with hearts were always a double dose of complicated, but her actions now were far more confusing than ever. "Are you sure nothing's wrong?"

"Yeah I'm sure," she replied with a smile. "I've just come to realize a few things and finally feel free because of it."

Axel wasn't sure he understood what she meant, but whatever it was it didn't sound like anything good. "Is this about last night?"

"Oh, so you're finally catching on?" Thorn said looking over at him with a smile.

It wasn't a smile Axel had ever seen on her before. It held none of the previous warmth, it wasn't playful or laughing. It was cold and cruel and condescending. Almost like a smile he'd expect to see on Vexen or Xigbar.

"Frankly I'm surprised you didn't see it before," she murmured looking back out onto the town. "I always assumed you were more observant than that."

"Did I do something to..." he started to ask, but she began laughing.

"No, no, it wasn't you don't worry," she chuckled. "When I did what I did last night, I simply realized something I've known for a long time now."

"What's that?" Axel asked raising an eyebrow.

"That what you were saying before...about not having a heart...not having any feelings...you're right," she said with a shrug. "I suppose it's my own fault for not seeing it from the start but I can see it clearly now. This isn't going to work out, no matter how much I wanted it to." She stretched out her shoulders a bit and looked back at him, that same smile back in place.

Axel didn't know what to say. He was too preoccupied by an uncomfortable tightness in his chest that was preventing him from breathing. He gritted his teeth, as if that might help vent out the frustration.

"Something wrong?" She asked him, tilting her head in curiosity. "You said it yourself, right? You don't exist, and I do. I have a future to look forward to while you, the only thing you have to look forward to is disappearing without anyone ever knowing who you are. No one will be there to remember you."

"What's you're problem?!" Axel burst out, anger in his voice as he glared at her. The tightness in his chest was growing, and it was so discomforting that shouting seemed to be the only way to deal with it.

"Let's face it, Axel," she said her voice calm as ever. "I'm not the one with the problem. I think the only reason you latched onto me is because you're so desperate for a heart you don't have."

"So then...about your promise..." he started trying hard not to blow up on her. Where was all this blatant hatred coming from?

"I changed my mind," she answered with a shrug. "There really is no reason for me to keep it after all." She kept watching his face and her cruel smile grew. "Why would I want anything to do with a NOBODY...with a creature...that shouldn't exist?"

Axel drew a shuddering breath before standing up and walking away. He stopped, his entire body felt tight and every movement was a fight against the strain. He looked at his unfinished ice cream before throwing it onto the ground. If he didn't get away from her soon, the pressure inside of his body would reach a breaking point. And then who knew what he might do to her?

"Let's go," he said, his voice tight as he opened a portal.

Thorn wordlessly walked in after him and when they emerged in the Gray Area she watched as he stalked out of the room without so much as a word or a glance of goodbye.

She crossed her arms, before looking out the window at the city below. "It's better this way," she said out loud. "A relationship like that was always doomed to fail."

* * *

CM: Wow... did not see that coming did you? Just what is going on? Things were going so well!

A little sad reviews have been down these past couple chaps. Especially since we have been working to get them out faster. Hopefully its not a reflection of the story quality.

Will Thorn and Axel's relationship bounce back after this? Will Demyx be forced to jam alone from now on? Read on to find out.


	28. Friendships and Heartache

**Chapter 28: Friendships and Heartache**

After leaving the Grey Area, Axel went straight to his room without saying a word to anyone else on the way. Once he hit the mattress though, he found he couldn't sleep at all. The strange burning in his chest had him all but stirred up and restless. As he lay in bed, trying to get some form of rest, he heard his door open.

To his surprise, Thorn was standing in the doorway. "Hey, Axel," she greeted before noticing the look on his face and the aura he was giving off. "Are you okay?"

He couldn't believe it, after driving the knife in and twisting it as hard as she could, she really had the gull to ask if he was okay? She legitimately looked concerned and it only served to increase the tightness he felt. Instead of answering her question, he got up and made to show her the door.

"Get out."

"What? Why?" she asked in shock.

"Because if you don't something is going to get turned to ashes and I can't guarantee it won't be you," he said grabbing her by the shoulder and shoving her out through the doorway. "Now get out and don't come back."

Thorn could only gape as he slammed the door in her face, why on earth he was so pissed off.

"Was it what happened before?" she wondered to herself. She hadn't thought the gesture would have upset him that much. "If it's from that time then I'm sorry...I really didn't think he'd be so...mad at it. I should probably leave it alone for now...let him cool off. But I should really talk to him about it."

* * *

Several days passed and things didn't get any better. Every morning Thorn went to talk with Axel, he was already gone. When she tried going to his room at night, the door was always locked. She would try knocking, but he never answered, not even to tell her to go away. Even when she did manage to catch sight of him, whenever she approached he would turn his back on her and disappear.

Thorn didn't know what to do. At night she didn't sleep very well and on her missions and during chores she had a hard time focusing. Why was he so mad? Did he really take it that personally? As time passed, her determination to talk to him grew until finally she was forced to ask Saix for help. She asked him to tell Axel to go to Twilight View after his mission, but to not tell him why, just that it was important.

"And what is so important?" Saix asked her dubiously.

"It's… I just really need to talk to him," she answered. "Please?"

He looked her over carefully and thought about how the red head had been acting as of late. "Alright, but you will not be staying out too late," he finally replied after deciding it might be necessary.

"Thanks," Thorn said breathing a sigh of relief as she gave him a warm smile. "I promise it won't take too long and you won't regret it."

"I'd imagine I wouldn't, since I lack the capacity to feel such emotions," he stated dryly. "Now hurry along. You'll be assisting Demyx with recon today. Make sure he stays on task."

The Nobody in question was standing off to the side looking rather discontented. Well, from what Thorn knew, Demyx didn't like going on missions so it made sense his mood would be down. Even still, she would've thought the added company might have perked him up a bit.

"So, are you ready to go?" she asked when she reached his side. She was surprised when he looked at her, humphed and opened the portal leading the way inside. "Uh...are you okay Demyx?"

"Oh, so you care about me now?" he asked looking over at her for a moment. "I thought you were only worried about Axel, since you seem more interested in meeting him than hanging with me."

"Wh-what?" Thorn demanded as he continued through the portal. "Hey, what the heck was that? Demyx, what are you so ticked off about?"

He just humphed again and continued on. She followed him to the next world wondering why everyone seemed to be getting upset at her. What did she do to tick them off so much?

When she exited the portal into the world where the recon would take place she found herself completely distracted. "Whoa, so what is this place called again?" she asked looking around. The place was very creepy and abandoned looking. A ruin of a city which was probably once upon a time a grand place.

"Hollow Bastion," Demyx replied unenthusiastically. "At least that's what Saix called it."

"Well that sounds cheery," Thorn commented jokingly, in an attempt to lighten his mood. She wasn't sure why but the place had a sense of familiarity to it. "It doesn't look like anyone lives here at all."

"Yeah…" he agreed shortly.

Thorn could sense he was still in a bad mood for some reason, so she asked, "So, about the mission, we're just doing recon, right?"

"That's right. I'm always the recon man."

"Great, then this should be an easy mission, and definitely one we can finish up quickly."

"Yeah, it'd be a shame if you were away from Axel for too long, huh?" he muttered rather sullenly.

"Excuse me?" she asked, not quite having fully heard what he said.

"Nothing, let's just go," he said before walking off.

Thorn sighed but followed him, hoping the whole mission wasn't going to be like this. They toured around the city destroying any heartless that attacked them but didn't see any human beings. Not surprising since the place was crawling with heartless. For all she knew, the place was days away from ending up like her own. As they went, there were a few times where she paused and seemed to stare off into space. In reality, she would stop and see two boys that would run right passed her laughing. It was odd...almost like her heart was trying to tell her something that her mind wasn't managing to grasp.

"Hey...are you okay?" Demyx asked. He sounded slightly worried but his tone suggested he was still trying to be mad. She'd spaced out for what seemed like the dozenth time and he didn't think simply nudging her was enough anymore.

They were standing outside a large castle and she was sure she was watching the same two boys get tossed out by people she couldn't make out.

"Yeah...I'm fine really," she said waving off his worry. "I just have my mind elsewhere that's all."

"It's with Axel right?" Demyx accused sounding irritated at himself for worrying.

"What? No. Why do you keep asking that?" Thorn returned clearing her head. Demyx didn't answer but he led the way inside, Thorn following after him.

The inside of the castle was in a worse state than the rest. Some areas were in complete shambles and others were flooded with water. Having Demyx there was definitely a plus, minus the silent treatment. The farther in they went, the greater unease Thorn felt. It was as though an invisible smog was wrapping around her, making it harder for her to breathe.

Demyx glanced over at her, and his irritated expression faltered once again into that of worry. "Are you sure you're alright? You don't look so good."

"This place," she said looking around for something she wasn't able to see. "I don't know what but there's a sinister presence here. It's something dark and… evil."

"Oh, come on, knock it off," Demyx said, trying not to be shaken by her statement. "This place is creepy as it is."

"I'm not joking, Demyx," she murmured continuing to feel increasingly uneasy. "Let's just make the inspection here as quick as we can."

"Sure thing," Demyx replied curious as to why she seemed to be breathing harder than normal. Then he remembered he was supposed to be angry with her.

They continued to climb floors, and the farther up they went, the more and more Thorn felt as if she was being swallowed. Meanwhile Demyx continued to keep an eye on her but refused to show any concern beyond that.

"Come on," Demyx told her, trying to urge her along so they could get the mission done and over with. "We only have one floor left."

She nodded that she understood and continued to follow, but after a few steps she leaned against the nearest wall having nearly tripped over her own feet.

"Thorn...maybe we should just leave and say we finished up here," Demyx suggested really getting worried now.

"No...I can finish...I just need to take a break for a moment," she murmured rubbing her throbbing head.

As she said this, she thought she spotted something she found to be rather odd out of the corner of her eye and nearly jumped in surprise when a Behemoth appeared and was slowly approaching them.

"Uh oh!" Demyx yelped and bolted towards the exit.

Thorn could hardly believe her eyes. Axel had told her before that Demyx would sooner run than fight, but she'd given the musician a little more credit. Turns out she might have been a little too generous. Considering everything though, she realized he was probably just still angry at her.

"Demyx, wait!" Thorn called to him but he didn't even look back.

She turned back to the lumbering giant, wondering if she should make a run for it too. Then something caught her eye and her heart leapt with excitement. Inside the behemoth she could see Zell's heart floating with a bunch of strangers. She was so happy she felt like jumping for joy, but right now she had bigger things to focus on. Quite literally.

Thorn quickly thought through her game plan. She needed to damage the creature enough to keep it frozen as she removed the heart from him. This was going to be difficult, and she was going to be exhausted afterwards. Focusing her energy, she started bombarding the Behemoth with fire, earth, and gravity wearing it down little by little. At one point, the giant lumbering towards her and she barely managed to get out of the way as it crashed into the wall behind her. She shouted in surprise as the shaking of the room caused her to lose her balance and she took a rolling tumble.

Meanwhile, Demyx stood outside, hearing the sounds of fighting going on. He heard the thunderous crash and Thorn's shout and his immediate desire was to go in and help her. "I don't get it… why should I care?" he thought angrily. Then he thought, "Alright, yeah, I'm still mad at her but… but I don't want her to die." Even though facing a giant monster was the last thing he wanted to do, Demyx reluctantly ran back to where Thorn and the heartless were.

Back inside, Thorn was trying to avoid getting squashed and she had to cast a haste spell on herself as well as a slow spell on the beast. Even with that, the heartless was enormous and took up at least a quarter of the room, so there was little room to avoid it. While she had managed to knock down its health by half, she was beginning to tire.

"Thorn, what are you doing?" a nervous voice demanded from behind her. She turned around to see that Demyx had returned.

"Perfect, Demyx, I know you're ticked at me for god knows why, but I need you to give me a hand and keep him busy while I get my more powerful magic ready," Thorn called back as she pushed back her sleeves, revealing the thorn tattoos on her arms and the sitar string on her wrist.

"Huh?" Demyx asked looking shocked. He couldn't believe she still had the broken string. "We're only supposed to be doing recon. I'm not a fighter."

"You don't have to do much, just distract him for me," she told him.

"Look, why don't we just head back and let someone else take care of it, yeah?" Demyx suggested.

The behemoth charged nearly trampling Thorn and she quickly teleported behind it as it crashed into the wall again. "Demyx!" she shouted. "If you don't help me right now I'm never going to sing with you again." She hated threatening him like that but there was no time to explain to him and she couldn't risk losing this chance.

"So what?" Demyx shouted back, hiding behind a broken structure. "You already said you didn't want to play with me anymore!"

"What!? When did I ever say that?"

"Just the other day, you said you were sick of hanging out with me. You said I was stupid and pathetic and that my hair is bad," he ranted like a child throwing a tantrum.

As the behemoth went on a rampage, Thorn ducked for cover where Demyx was hiding. "Demyx, the only stupid thing you've done so far is believed I would EVER think any of that!" she told him strongly. "You're one of the few people whose fun to be around in that place and I think it's cool how much you love music." She momentarily turned away from the heartless to look at him. "I know lately I've been busy with other things…. and I didn't mean to make you feel neglected or that I didn't want to spend time with you anymore. But nothing's changed… you're still my friend."

Demyx's eyes widened for a moment, before becoming serious. "Well, alright then," he muttered pulling out his sitar. "But after this we need to jam to fix this."

"Deal," Thorn chuckled as the two got to their feet.

Demyx threw up his hand and then began to play in a quick, energetic rhythm. "Dance, water! Dance!"

His attack landed squarely on the side of the Behemoth knocking it off its feet. "And you say you're not a fighter," Thorn sighed noting just how much power the NOBODY actually had. "Alright, now if this works we can go as soon as I'm done."

She finished gathering her energy while Demyx kept the creature from running anywhere else. Then she released it while saying the word stop immobilizing it. "Now...come to Thorn, Zell," she muttered focusing on the single heart and forcefully pulling it through the creature and to her. Once she had the heart in her hands, she released her spell and collapsed to her knees in exhaustion.

Seconds later, Demyx was at her side pulling her back to her feet. "Are you okay?" he asked worriedly while staring intently at the heart she held in her hands.

"Yeah, now we can go," she panted smiling up at the boy.

* * *

Axel's irritation from the day at the clock tower didn't seem to lessen as time went on. Rather, it seemed to be eating away at him, making a hole bigger and more insufferable than the one he'd started out with. At first he'd tried making sense out of it all, come to some sort of probable conclusion, but none came. The times where she'd come knocking on his door, calling to him, he'd been tempted again and again to open the door and let her in. Then he would remember her venomous words and he buried his head in his pillows and ignored her pleas for entrance.

Apparently his change in mood did not go unnoticed. Some knew better than to say anything while others like Demyx and Xigbar couldn't keep their damn mouths shut.

Speaking of the annoying ones, of course they had to be there in the Gray Area after he got off his mission.

"Yo, Flamsilocks, what crawled in your cornflakes this morning?" Xigbar asked with a grin.

"Axel doesn't eat cereal," Demyx inputted. "The only thing he ever eats is that yucky ice cream."

"What do you want?" Axel asked doing his best to ignore their comments.

"Nothing really," Demyx said with a shrug. "You just seem really on edge lately."

"The kid actually noticed something useful," Xigbar laughed. "But the question is...how goes it with our little Angleface?"

Axel glared at them but didn't say anything as he tried to leave the room. Unfortunately he was quickly stopped by Saix.

"Axel, it is imperative that you head to Twilight Terrace...NOW," he said seriously.

Axel stared at him in confusion. "Mind if I ask what for?"

"You'll know once you're there," Saix replied simply.

Of course he would. Axel withheld the aggravated sigh and left the room. At least it was an excuse to get away from those morons. He hoped whatever business this was, it was short and sweet. He really needed to go to his room and just sleep so that he wouldn't have to think anymore.

When he made it to Twilight Terrace, he found someone was already there. From the looks of things, they'd been waiting for him.

"Hey, Axel," Thorn greeted tentatively, as though she were speaking to a baby deer she was afraid would flee at any moment. Axel felt his irritation spike and he turned to leave. "Wait!" Thorn said, stopping him before he could teleport.

"What do you want?" he demanded harshly. Now he was going to have a bone to pick with Saix after this.

"What do you think I want?" Thorn demanded feeling angry herself. "I've been trying to talk to you for the last few days and you've just been blowing me off. How am I supposed to know why you're so ticked if you don't frickin' tell me. You're acting like I did before we went on that 5 day trip together." Axel glared at her without saying a thing. Thorn sighed, trying to think of what could have possibly ticked him off to this extent. Then it clicked. "Does this have to do with the other night?" she asked nervously.

"Oh, so you're finally catching on?" Axel mimicked bitterly.

Thorn bit her lip and her eyes fell away from him. "About that… I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would upset you this much. I just… I couldn't help myself. But if it bothered you that much, then I promise it won't happen again."

"You're right," Axel said turning away from her. "Don't worry, you won't have to suffer with my NON-existence ever again."

As he began to walk away he felt a hand grab him.

He turned to see that Thorn had grabbed a hold of his sleeve. "Axel, wait...please just talk to me," Thorn murmured her normally calm and set face falling making her appear as if she was about to start crying. "Just let me know what I did wrong so I can make it up to you. I don't want to lose you as my friend."

As Axel stared down at her, the tightness in his chest returned at full force to where he thought it might choke him. He truly wanted to believe her, hold her in his arms, maybe even kiss her. But he already trusted her once. He couldn't deal with it anymore. She messed him up in the worst of ways.

Axel pulled his arm out of her grasp, his face locked in a mask of indifference. "Why would you want anything to do with a NOBODY?"

Thorn stared at him as though he'd slapped her. Good, let her feel some pain and see how she liked it. With that, Axel turned away from her. As he walked away, he heard a noise, almost like a sob, and he just about turned back around, but he forced himself to keep moving and not look back. He had no heart to feel with, so he couldn't understand why it felt like his whole body was screaming.

* * *

Thorn watched Axel leave, and each step he took was like a stab to the chest.

"Whoa, talk about harsh," a laughing voice commented from behind her. She turned around to see Xigbar standing there with a grin on his face. "Still, you can't have expected it to last for too long," he stated. "After all, it's not like he has a heart to love you with. Looks like that room of yours will finally be getting some use."

"Do you get off on eavesdropping?" Thorn asked not in the mood to deal with the grinning Cyclops. Her voice was indifferent but his words stung her.

He merely scoffed. "As if. You think just because you're here you have rights or something? You gave those all up the moment you decided to come here."

Thorn knew he was right, and that pissed her off the most. She left Xigbar's presence and numbly made her way back to her bedroom. Each breath came with difficultly and it felt like her insides were being twisted around by invisible hands. When she got to her room she welcomed the darkness. Right now, the white walls of the castle stung her eyes. She stumbled over to her bed and sat down. The room had a stale smell, the result of her not spending much time in it.

That would change soon enough. Axel would never let her in his room again. For whatever reason, he had decided to wash his hands of her. No more sleeping together, no more talking or laughing, no more ice cream. Before she knew it her eyes were flooded and she began sobbing. At that moment, she wished she could be like them, a Nobody with no heart. Then maybe it wouldn't hurt so much.

She sat on the bed for a long time, silently crying over the end of the only relationship she was able to have. After a time the tears stopped coming and she just stared at the floor. The dresser and a few posters on the wall were now lying on the floor and her music box and toppled out of its drawer. Awhile after the tears ended she took a few deep calming breaths before pulling out her notebook and began writing. She wrote over three pages worth of emotions down, putting every ounce of frustration and sadness she felt onto the pages.

When she finished, she put it away and fell back against the pillows willing herself to fall asleep. She reached up to take the cloak off feeling really hot wearing it. As she did so, something nearly fell out but she caught it. It was Zell's heart. In the rush of talking with Axel, she had completely forgotten that she'd found it. She sighed and got to her feet walking over to the fallen music box and putting the heart inside.

"There you go, Zidane, now you have Zell to talk to," she thought in amusement. "I promise, pretty soon we'll all be together again."

The door was thrown open without a knock and Thorn impulsively turned around. It was Demyx and she kicked herself having nearly forgotten about the promised after mission jam time.

"Hey, Thorn, I'm ready whenever you are…" He trailed off when he noticed her makeup was all smudged around and her eyes were unnaturally red. "Hey… have you been…"

"It's nothing, Demyx," Thorn said turning away from him.

Demyx was unconvinced of this and went towards her, trying to get a good look at her face. She kept turning away but he kept flitting around her trying to get a decent view. "I knew it, you've been crying!" he exclaimed in amazement.

"Don't worry about it, it's not a big deal," Thorn lied. Why did he have to walk in on her like this? This had to be one of the crappiest days of her life.

"Who made you cry?" He demanded, looking perturbed. "Was it… did Axel…?"

"Demyx, for the last time, just drop it," she said louder than she had intended. In a softer voice she said, "Please… I don't want to talk about it."

Demyx sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, looking unsure of what to do. Then he got an idea. Kind of a crazy one but… hey it might work. "Please don't hurt me," he said before giving her a tight hug.

Thorn's eyes widened as his arms wrapped around her and she attempted to pull away but he only tightened his hold. She felt her hands twitch slightly and felt something build up in her throat but she forced it all down and managed to stay calm. His hug was warm and she was forcefully reminded of the times her three friends attempted to cheer her up by singing to her. It had been terrible, and she'd told them as much. All the same, it had made her happy, and when she thanked them, they had all rushed in to hug her. It was one of the few times she had let them.

Thorn sighed as Demyx's grip grew tighter and she allowed him to do so. Even if she really wanted him to let go, she didn't feel like she had the heart to force him. As they stood there for a lot longer than Thorn thought was necessary, there was a knock followed by the door being opened. The the pair turned to see Zexion walk in.

"I apologize if I am interrupting anything," he said quickly feeling rather awkward. I shall come back later."

"Wait, Zex, Thorn's feeling pretty bad and we need to cheer her up," Demyx spoke up suddenly before Thorn could even get a word in. "You should come help."

Zexion hesitated looking rather unsure of himself. He gazed at Thorn for several moments before releasing a slow sigh and walking forward. Demyx loosened his hold on her and Thorn turned to face the silver haired bishi. The gazed at one another wordlessly for a long while until Zexion hesitantly reached out and patted her shoulder.

"There there," he mumbled awkwardly.

"That's it?" Demyx exclaimed. "That's seriously the best you could do?"

"Do not criticize," Zexion said, his face turning the slightest shade of pink. "I'm not well versed at comfort."

Thorn shook her head but smiled at them both and patted both of their shoulders. "Thank you, both of you," she murmured softly her expression remaining soft but revealing nothing. "I mean it. It means more than you know that you at least tried." Demyx was about to say something more when she began leading them both to the door. "I'm a little tired though, so I'd really like to be alone right now so I can sleep."

"One thing," Zexion said quickly turning to her. She looked at him curiously as he held out a book to her. "I just found this one down my library and I figured you would enjoy it."

Thorn took the book without any change in her expression. "Thank you, Zexion, I'll make sure to return it when I finish with it."

Zexion inclined his head in answer before leaving.

Thorn looked at Demyx. "I promise, later we'll play for however long you want. But right now, I just…"

"Eh, don't worry about it," he told her, rubbing his neck. "Just let me know when you're ready." He didn't want to leave her alone, but he would respect her wishes. Before exiting he pointed a finger at her. "Hey, no more crying, okay?"

Thorn smiled and nodded. "Got it."

When he was gone she shut the door and lay down on her bed. She pushed up her sleeve to reveal the sitar string wrapped around her wrist. She hugged the book tightly against her chest, happy in knowing she wasn't alone.

* * *

CM: So much bittersweetness. Well, the issue with Demyx seems to be all cleared up. But what about Thorn and Axel? Let's see if this dark flame will continue to burn, or wither to ashes. Don't forget to review. :D


	29. Fake

**Chapter 29: Fake**

Saix had always believed he understood Axel, inside and out. These days, however, he'd been starting to doubt this notion. The red head had been acting out of sorts of late. Not only that, he was avoiding the heartseer for reasons Saix could not fathom. Eventually, it came to a point where Saix felt it necessary to confront the fire wielder.

He waited until Axel returned from his latest mission and headed off to his room without saying anything. Saix sighed and headed after him coming up to a locked door. Not that it made much difference to Saix. He simply did what he always did, and opened a portal, stepping into the red head's room without bothering to knock.

"Okay, we REALLY need to have a talk about respecting other people's privacy," Axel stated in irritation from his bed.

"Hmph, even if I had knocked, would you have opened?"

The other male didn't answer, but that was answer enough. "What do you want?" he asked, changing the subject.

"You're going to tell me exactly why you seem so intent on avoiding the heartseer. Things seemed to be going rather well for you so why break the trend?"

"It's nothing," Axel answered with a shrug before collapsing on his bed. "She'll be able to help out the organization so there's no need for me to do any more."

"That is beside the point," Saix said sternly. "We had a plan."

"Don't push me with this," Axel expelled harshly.

Saix was rather taken aback by this. Once more he was perplexed at how his lifelong friend was behaving.

"Whatever it is you think you are feeling," Saix reminded him. "Do not be fooled. You and I are still without hearts."

"Don't you think I already know that?" Axel heaved a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry but…. I can't be around her right now."

"Did something happen?" the scarred-face Nobody asked him knowingly.

"No," Axel muttered moving to his bed. "Nothing at all."

Saix didn't believe him for a moment, he knew him too well. "You're not cracking jokes and are actually avoiding everyone especially the heartseer."

"What's wrong with avoiding her?" Axel asked with a shrug. "Maybe I just need a break."

"Unless we can fully elicit her help we will not be able to fulfill our goal," Saix pointed out. "Why did you start avoiding her anyway? You didn't seem terribly concerned with becoming too close to her before."

Axel sighed again, knowing that Saix wasn't going to get off his back until he was satisfied. "Some stuff happened after the last mission we had together. I don't know what caused her to act like that but…"

"Which mission?" Saix inquired, wanting all the details.

"The one you sent her after me for," Axel told him. "About a week ago."

Saix stared at him. "I have never sent her after anyone. She either goes with her assigned partner or stays in the castle."

Axel's eyes widened. "But… she told me… she said you had her on cleaning duty but you changed your mind and sent her to back me up."

"She was on cleaning duty that day," Saix acknowledged. "However, I simply increased her duties when she declared herself not ready to return to the lab. She did not leave the castle that day, I made sure of it."

"What?!" Axel exclaimed leaping to his feet. If that hadn't been her, then he had a lot to apologize for from the last few days. "Then who was...with me?"

Saix didn't know the answer to that, but the whole situation had Vexen written all over it. He wasn't surprised when the redhead took off and was sure he knew where he was going.

"Good, now things can continue to move forward," he thought leaving the room as well. He decided to pay Vexen a visit...just in case.

* * *

Thorn's footsteps echoed emptily along the floors of Twilight's View. She just didn't feel like staying in her room, but she also didn't feel like being around anyone right now. So she wandered the castle, thinking over her options. It was clear she wasn't as safe there as she first believed, which meant she needed to find Irvine's heart and get out of there.

She would miss it there, no doubts about that, or at least she'd miss half the people there. She touched the wrist that carried Demyx's sitar string and thought about the book Zexion gave her that was on her bed, and she still had Lexaus's puzzle and Luxord's card deck in her pocket. All these little items were proof of their existence, proof of her time with them. Thorn thought of Saix and especially Axel. She had nothing of theirs, nothing to prove to herself those memories were real. Nothing except the calluses on her hands and a dull ache in her chest.

She paused on her way to look out over the side, and as she did so a large blast of fire flew through the air and hit her squarely in the side knocking her into the solid railing. She managed to get a hold of herself and looked up just in time to see a blast of ice heading her way which she dove to the side to avoid. A few more attacks headed her way but she dodged them all stopping quite a ways away from where she began.

"Just look at you, blubbering over the loss of that idiot red head," a voice taunted and she looked up to see a hooded figure walking towards her. The voice was eerily familiar and she could see...a heart. A heart that held nothing, no connections, no emotions, no memories, nothing.

"What are you?" Thorn demanded getting to her feet and gathering her magic in one hand.

The figure lowered their hood to reveal a head of black hair with purple streaks and grey eyes. The face was twisted in a condescending expression. "Why, I'm you, but without all those pesky, irritating emotions."

Thorn could only stare. It was like looking into a mirror only the mirror seemed to have a life of its own. What sort of abomination was this? And how did it even come into existence? The look-alike cocked her head, lips parting in a laugh at her shock.

"Geez, you're pathetic," she muttered. "I honestly don't know what you see in that guy. Sure, he's got good looks but, that's about it. It didn't take much really, for him to lose all faith in you. And what's the deal with that loser water boy you hang out with?"

Thorn's teeth gritted and her hands curled into fists. "You… what have you done?"

"I merely told them what they needed to hear," the look-alike sniffed. "And frankly, you need to hear it too."

"You bitch!" Thorn shouted, her clothes and hair fluttering with no wind. "So you're the cause of all this."

The mirror smiled. "That's right. And the best part is, they couldn't even tell the difference. It just goes to show, a Somebody and a Nobody can never be together."

"You have no right to decide that," Thorn spat. "You, who's worse off then all of them. You may have a heart, but you don't even have memories to understand feelings."

"I don't need them," the mirror shot back. "They do nothing but hold you back. And look how easy it was to drive a wedge between the two of you. And you fell apart just because your heart was broken."

"Break this," Thorn muttered throwing out a gravity spell. It came so quickly that the mirror was thrown off guard and was thrown backwards by the force. "You can use magic, right? Then I won't feel bad when I end you."

"Heh, look at you," the copy mocked. "Out of all the men you could have chosen, you picked one with no heart."

"Axel DOES have a heart!" Thorn bellowed. "And I'm going to help him find it!"

She flung another spell but this time the copy was ready and put up a barrier. "Not if I erase you first," the mirror said venomously. "I'm sick of sharing the face of a weakling. I'm superior to you in every way."

"That so?" Thorn said, both hands glowing with magic. "Come prove it then."

* * *

When Saix found Vexen, he was at work in his lab. The blue haired Nobody would have been willing to believe the rumors that the scientist slept there. He hardly ever seemed to leave.

"Vexen," Saix said calling for the man's attention. "A word."

"What is it?" Vexen demanded not looking up. "I'm very busy."

"Have you been tinkering with clones lately?" Saix demanded.

"Ah yes, I did create a replica of the heartseer in the hopes I could use that remarkable ability of hers without needing to deal with her limits," Vexen replied easily. "Why, has she caused you some trouble?"

"She seems to have gotten out and created some discord with the other members," Saix told him. "Did the experiment work?"

"No, unfortunately. She may have all the magic and appearance of the heartseer, but the ability of seeing the hearts won't manifest. I'm afraid the ability lies within her heart and only her heart," Vexen explained irritably.

"Then why keep the copy around?" Saix asked incredulously.

"I thought she might make a decent helping hand, but it turns out she's grown a belligerence of her own," Vexen stated with a sniff. "Also I'd rather she not be simply disposed of right away. She is, after all, my own creation. If you could, bring her back in one piece."

Saix's eyes narrowed at this but he left the room without another word. A copy… Vexen called it a replica. The implications and possibilities were intriguing, but it was a failed experiment. So what was the purpose of allowing it to continue existing? Once again he was cleaning up someone else's mess.

_"I think Vexen has just about outlived his usefulness,"_ Saix thought to himself as he searched for the replica.

* * *

"Where could she be?" Axel thought as he roamed the halls.

He had been to visit Thorn's room, only to find it empty but he knew she had to be around the castle somewhere. He sighed as he went through the many different halls with no luck. Then as he was passing Twilight View, he heard the sound of battle and went to see what was going on. When he opened the doors, he was shocked to see Thorn throwing her magical spells at...Thorn.

"What the heck is going on?" he exclaimed in his surprise. The battle momentarily stopped as the two Thorns turned to look at him.

"Axel," the one on the left exclaimed. "This is the wench that ticked you off and made it seem like I didn't care."

"No I'm not!" the right Thorn said angrily. "She's the fake!" The first lunged at the second and the two were locked in combat once more.

Oh man… he thought one was complicated enough, now it was a double-double dose of complicated. He probably had Vexen to thank for this little nightmare. He looked between one and the other, trying to figure out which was which. It was hard to tell with them in the heat of battle, and the two moved and fought and looked exactly the same.

"Come on, Axel," he urged himself. "Think!" Then an idea came to him. He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a shot.

The two exploded apart as their thunder spells collided but both scrambled back to their feet, ready for another go. They both charged but before they could clash, Axel sent a wall of flames up between them and the two stopped short and backed away, not wanting to get burned. The pair looked at him with identical grey eyes.

"It's time we ended this fiasco, Eva," Axel stated loudly.

The two Thorns looked at him in surprise before the one on the left tightened her fists and growled at him. "I told you never to call me that, Lea!"

"Eva...Lea, there isn't anyone here named that," the other Thorn stated in confusion. "What are you two playing at?"

Axel sighed in relief as he motioned for the Thorn on the left to approach him. "Of course you wouldn't understand," Thorn said standing next to the red headed NOBODY. "You don't have my memories."

"Ha, you think you can really destroy me with this face?" the replica demanded.

Axel glared at her and moments later she burst into flames. "Surprisingly easy," he stated calmly.

The replica screamed until her body was nothing but a pile of ashes. Thorn stared at the remains. It was an odd and creepy sensation, watching yourself burn out of existence.

"Hey…"

She looked up at Axel who looked unsure of what to say, guilt evident on his face.

"Look, Thorn… about the other day…"

"Yeah, about that," she said sharply. "How could you mistake me for THAT?"

Axel looked away from her. Her anger was understandable and it wasn't making his position any better. "How was I supposed to know? She looked just like you."

"But she wasn't me."

Axel released a long, slow sigh. "No… she wasn't."

Thorn folded her arms across her chest. "Look at me."

He did so, his sea green eyes meeting grey. She saw the apology in his eyes and she sighed too. "Axel, you may think you're just a Nobody… but you're somebody to me." Her words were spoken softly, but they shook him to the core.

Axel pulled her in close. "It's nice to have you back," he said with a smile.

She hugged him back, thinking how much she missed his smile. "Yeah, but you know, after falling for her little charade you owe me big time," Thorn pointed out with an evil grin.

"Heh, well how about I start making it up with this," he said pulling her even closer as he melded his lips with hers.

_Oh, yes,_ Thorn thought. That was a very good start. She wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the lip contact. She felt him move his hands up and down her back just the way he always had, and she returned the favor in kind. As far as she was concerned, she didn't need to breathe. She would be okay with staying just like this for hours.

Axel didn't think it was possible to miss someone who'd been right there all along, but he had. He'd missed her so much, missed holding her like this. The festering pain that had been gnawing away inside of him was gone and he felt so high and wired. Remembering where they were, he pulled away from her. She pouted in dissatisfaction and he laughed, hugging her against him once more.

"Thorn," he murmured. "I know I don't have a heart but… when I'm with you… it sure as hell feels like I do."

"I'm glad to hear that," Thorn murmured enjoying the feel of being wrapped up in his arms. She was sure she'd be sleeping really well that night. "I hope there's more to this making it up thing than just the kiss."

"Oh, trust me, once we get back to the room you'll have a lot more to look forward to," Axel promised with a smile. Thorn smiled back and the two of them left Twilight View having already forgotten about the smoldering mess that was once Thorn's replica.

Standing just inside one of the doorways Saix was leaning against the wall. He'd just seen the two of them exchange their loving embrace and could feel heat rising in his face. Axel was much closer to her than he'd imagined. Too close. Suddenly she was no longer an asset; instead she was becoming a real threat.

* * *

The next morning, Thorn woke up to the strong smell of burning wood and spices. She was tucked snugly against Axel's warm body, his chest exposed for the pleasure of her exploring fingers. The night before had been so wonderful. Granted the farthest they'd gotten was just lots of under the shirt stuff, but still. The make-up make-out was probably the best thing she'd ever had in her young life.

Axel was facing her, eyes closed, breath even. Feeling emboldened that morning, Thorn leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his mouth. His eyes eased open and he smiled before returning the gesture.

"Now that's what I call a wakeup call," he said, sitting up on the bed. "Can't believe how much I missed this."

"Yeah, me too." Thorn sat up as well and stretched her arms up over her head. "Just so you know, all's forgiven."

Axel gave a chuckle. "Good to know," he said before getting out of bed. "Time to start another day."

Thorn would have preferred they just skipped work today, but she knew that was a no-go. So she followed him to the bathroom. They took turns splashing water on their faces and as Thorn was putting on her make-up, she noticed something. Just above her left breast was a round pink mark.

As she did so, she nearly smeared her lipstick across her face in surprise. "Axel!" she exclaimed putting the lipstick down as she left to confront him. "Look what you did to me!" She pointed at the red mark as she came back to the bedroom and Axel just laughed.

"You weren't complaining about it last night," he pointed out in amusement. "But if bothers you that badly just remember, no one's going to see it. The cloak covers all of that up."

Thorn continued to frown at him but she really couldn't stay mad so instead her face went into a pout as she returned to the bathroom and finished her makeup. Once that was done, she put her cloak back on and breathed a sigh of relief when she found Axel was right, it did cover it up. Then the two headed for the Gray Area where Saix was waiting to deal out the day's work.

Thorn realized immediately something was wrong. Her first big clue was when Saix looked at her coldly and gave her the worst news in weeks.

"You'll be going back to the labs today," he informed her.

Thorn did her best to keep her dissatisfaction from showing on her face. "Is it really necessary?" she asked. "Couldn't I just keep cleaning?"

"Yes it is necessary and no, you may not substitute your duties," Saix said with finality. "Now I suggest you get down there."

Both Axel and the goth girl were confused by Saix's mood. When she looked up at the red head, he just shrugged as if to say, "He's probably just having a bad morning."

She sighed, but decided to go along with it anyway. She really didn't want to upset the blue haired man any more that he already was and she was sure she wouldn't be there too much longer anyway. She only had three hearts to go after all. Irvine, Axel, and Saix. She waited until Axel had left for his mission before she headed off for the labs. When she walked into the room, things were exactly as she remembered them, bright and creepy. On the bright side though, if he had her attempt to pull out a heart again, it should be no problem. She'd already done it twice so now it should be really easy.

"Sit," Vexen ordered the moment she entered. Thorn did so, taking the stool in the middle of the room. "We are going to pick up right where we left off. Perhaps now you won't be complaining about it being too hard and we can continue to progress."

Rather than come back with a biting comment Thorn just agreed, wanting to get this over with as soon as was humanly possible.

"I expect you to work twice as hard as your normal effort," Vexen condition going to his selection of specimens. "It's the least you can do after destroying my precious experiment."

"What are you talking about?" Thorn demanded while not really caring.

"The replica I made from your data," Vexen said impatiently.

Thorn's head whipped around to gape at him. "That was YOU?" Oh, she thought she'd hated him before but now he was on her top ten list of most detestable people she'd ever met.

"As if anyone else had the brilliance to achieve something of that magnitude," Vexen stated, sounding offended she hadn't automatically assumed he was responsible.

"Brilliant, yeah," Thorn patronized. "That's why I'm here and she's occupying a dust bin somewhere."

"Precisely. She was an exact replica of you. Same appearance, same strength, same skills. The only reason she was beaten was because you had that insufferable fire maniac to help you," Vexen replied. "Had it been one on one you would have lost as she possessed the physical stamina you lack."

_"Geeze he's talking as if he was expecting to replace me or something,"_ Thorn thought as a shiver ran down her spine.

She also found his low opinion of her skills to be rather insulting. She would have been more than capable of taking care of that replica on her own. It may have been a copy of her, but it still wasn't her. Thorn wouldn't have allowed herself to be beaten by that fake.

"Don't underestimate me," Thorn told him evenly. She was past caring if this guy got mad at her or not. Hell, the only thing that was keeping her from wiping up the lab floor with this guy was that she still had a mission to complete and she couldn't afford to go awol now.

"Heh, I never underestimate anyone," Vexen taunted. "I know exactly how much power someone holds and how much is needed to destroy them. Even with your growth over this period of time...you would still lose to my replica."

Thorn felt her blood boil at his words but managed to keep it under control. She'd have one heck of a picture when she got back to her room. There was no doubt about that. By this point, Vexen had grown tired of their argument and began hooking Thorn up to the monitor once more and then placed the specimen in front of her. "Now, let us begin."

* * *

"I'm seriously starting to think people are out to get me," Thorn said to Axel.

They were currently out on the streets of the city outside the castle. Ever since their little scene in Paris they'd been going there so Axel could help her with battle training.

"You sure you're not being paranoid?" Axel asked even though he knew what she was getting at. He came at her with a series of slashes.

"Absolutely," Thorn said, while ducking each of his attacks with fluid grace. "Vexen wanted to replace me with a robot, Xigbar is spying on me, and Saix hates me again. He keeps putting me with people I can't stand or who don't like me."

"I don't know what to tell you," Axel said throwing both chakram which she evaded easily. "Except you've really improved your fighting technique," he stated as they returned to him and he caught them.

"Well, thanks for that, but I'm being serious here," she replied dodging the next set. She was finding it increasingly easier to keep from being hit without needing to resort to her magic. "I mean, I haven't been on a mission with you since before that thing showed up here."

"Saix tends to send people where he thinks they'll be the most help," Axel told her with a shrug. "I can't exactly argue with him when it comes to stuff like this. For all I know you really are needed more on missions with them."

"But before he only sent me on a mission with Larxene and Marluxia once!" Thorn exclaimed nearly missing her next step as she became slightly distracted.

"What about Luxord? He sends you out with him too."

"Him I can handle...at least he lets me alone when I really need it." She called for a time out and stretched her arms a bit. "Xaldin just doesn't care as long as I don't get in his way. But Marluxia just rubs me wrong, and Larxene I just want to shove her into a pit full of spikes. Xigbar… I don't know what to think about him, except not to trust him."

Axel approached her and patted her on the back. "Look, there's no sense in worrying about it. As long as you have that nifty ability of yours, you're still useful."

"How long though?" Thorn asked him. It was a question which had been haunting her for a while now. "How long until they decide I'm not useful anymore?" They were already building replacements of her for crying out loud.

"I don't know," Axel said with a shake of his head. "But I'll probably hear about it before they do anything so I'll make sure to let you know when I do. I don't really want to see what they'll do when they think you're finished."

"Great, that makes me feel soooo much better," Thorn grumbled rolling her eyes. She had a sneaking suspicion that her time was up the moment Vexen had the perfect replacement for her. "Well, at least I only have three more hearts to find. Maybe when I find his, Saix will finally stop being so cold."

"Hah, maybe, but I wouldn't count on it too much," Axel chuckled with a grin on his face. "Anyway, we should probably head back. You need to get some sleep. There's no telling what you'll be asked to do tomorrow."

"Good point," Thorn sighed as she led the way back to the castle.

When they got back to his room she snuggled up close to him. It took awhile before she at last drifted off.

Axel held her securely against him, wishing he could shake off the feeling of unease that was keeping him awake. He only hoped the day she became useless to the Organization was a long ways off. Because he had an idea, based on his track record, of who would be the one to be forced to take care of her.

* * *

CM: Well, looks like that mystery has been solved. Not that it was much of a mystery for several of you. :P Then again it's not like we tried very hard to hide it. But hooray, Axel and Thorn are back together. Saix isn't very happy about it though. New complications? Let's hope not. If you can, please remember to review. :)


	30. Not Letting Go

**Chapter 30: Not Letting Go**

Axel had the right idea about getting plenty of rest, Thorn thought, because the next day she was once more being sent on a mission with a less than desirable travel partner.

"Isn't this delightful, Thorn?" Marluxia asked her with a smile. "You and I have another mission together."

"Wonderful," Thorn said without meaning it.

"Today you'll be going to Hollow Bastion," Saix said, speaking directly to Marluxia as if Thorn wasn't there. "There has been some disquiet stirring there. Go and observe and report on what you find."

"Of course," Marluxia murmured joyfully as he opened up the portal.

"Swell," Thorn thought as she followed wordlessly after Marluxia. It didn't take them long to reach the world in question and when they did, Thorn was surprised to see fewer heartless running around and it seemed as if there was a fight going down on the higher levels.

"My my, things do appear to be rather exciting don't they," Marluxia murmured next to her. Thorn had to agree with him, but she would never say it out loud. "Well, shall we go see what all the fuss is about?"

Thorn shrugged and the two of them headed into the castle, hearing explosions and shouts as they continued on their way unimpeded. When they reached the top floor, they found that the room was occupied by a girl a talking dog and a talking duck.

Thorn recognized the short haired girl as the same girl whose heart was residing in that Sora kid. Seemed she made it back to her body somehow. But then… where was Sora and Riku?

"We can't stay here," the duck told her.

"But I can't just leave them," Kairi protested.

The dog looked over in their direction and for a split second Thorn thought they'd been spotted. "A heartless is after us!"

Thorn paused and watched as a small shadow heartless went gamble towards the party. She gasped, her eyes widening. Sora… Sora was the heartless!

"What do you see?" Marluxia asked her, noticing her reaction.

"I… recognize the heart in that heartless," she murmured, and continued with watching the scene unfold.

"Confounded Heartless!" the duck said, bopping the shadow on the head with his staff. "Get lost will ya?"

Thorn winced at the attack knowing they had no way of knowing who the heartless was. "There has to be a way to let them know," she thought watching as the heartless continued to approach them as the duck and the dog continued trying to fight it.

"Wait!" the girl exclaimed pushing passed them to look closer at the heartless. "This is..." Her eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around the heartless. "Sora," she whispered sadly.

"That child must be quite foolish to attempt to touch a heartless," Marluxia murmured shaking his head. Thorn ignored him and continued to watch. That girl was much closer to Sora than she thought...but she understood how the girl felt...seeing her friend inside one of those things. Thorn was about to turn away when a light started shining between the girl and the heartless and moments later, the heartless transformed back into the boy.

"Now that was interesting," Marluxia commented as he continued to watch. "I've never seen a heartless return to its original form before."

"It must be because of that girl," Thorn thought in wonder staring at the light of the girl's heart which dimmed after the transformation ended. "Amazing."

A bunch of heartless suddenly surrounded the party and the boy summoned a weapon in the shape of a key, preparing to defend the girl. Thorn stared at his weapon, feeling as though she'd seen it somewhere before.

"I see," Marluxia stated. "It all makes sense now."

Thorn was about to ask him what he meant when a beastly roar shook the halls, causing he to jump a little in surprise. Marluxia touched her shoulder, calling her attention away from the battle. "I think it's time we left."

Thorn agreed, seeing that helping was on the way. When the two of them were well away from the goings on, she turned to the pink haired Nobody. "You said it all made sense. What do you mean?"

"That boy is none other than the key blade wielder," Marluxia informed her. "He's become quite an object of interest to the Organization."

"Keyblade?" Thorn repeated.

"Yes, the weapon he was using," Marluxia explained. "Though I must say watching him come back from being a heartless was truly a sight to behold."

Thorn agreed with that assessment and part of her wanted to go back and make sure they were alright...but she knew it wasn't an option. "So...since he became a heartless, does that mean he now has a NOBODY running around somewhere?" she asked recalling what she knew about them.

"It is highly possible," Marluxia murmured thinking on her words. "I'm sure the leader will be most pleased to hear this. He'll more than likely wish to find this NOBODY at once."

_"Somehow I'm guessing it'd be better if they don't find him,"_ Thorn thought to herself. _"Maybe I shouldn't have brought it up."_

* * *

Xemnas sat in the Room Where Nothing Gathers waiting for the summoned members to show. One by one they came. First was Saix, always on time, always so strictly serious. Xemnas was often never left to question the measure of his devotion towards the Organization's cause. Next Vexen followed shortly after, eager to share the new discoveries he'd made. Finally Xigbar came last, smiling as though they were having a party instead of a serious discussion.

"Friends," Xemnas stated once the three were in their designated seats. "What news do you bring about our guest?"

Vexen was the first to speak up. "Her abilities have improved, just as I have predicted. Thanks to me, she has learned not only to see hearts but to pull them out of the heartless which carry them." He shook his head "However, her attitude is still inadequate. Typical for a being with a heart."

"Speaking of attitude," Xigbar interjected. "She really seems to be making her mark here. It's interesting watching the way some of the other members interact with her. You'd really think they have hearts of their own." He said this last bit with a laugh. "As if, right?"

Xemnas didn't say a word, but it was clear from his expression that he found the news to be rather intriguing.

"Preposterous," Vexen muttered. "I have a few theories on what is really going on there...but I doubt she's really doing anything to them of that nature." He cleared his throat and began listing a few off. "1) She's able to make them remember their emotions more vividly than before as they see hers right in front of them. 2) The close proximity of a person with a heart is making it so that her emotions are seeping into them making them appear to feel more easily. 3) Those ingrates wish to feel so much, they're tricking themselves into believing that they can just by watching and mimicking her."

"All rather intriguing ideas," Xemnas murmured thinking about the possibilities himself.

"Intriguing or not, we may not have to deal with her for much longer," Saix spoke up. "I just received a report from Marluxia that the keyblade holder had lost his heart. So, the possibility of him now having a NOBODY out there is very high."

This news did bring about new interest. "This is better than we could have ever hoped for," Xemnas murmured thoughtfully. "If we can get the keyblade wielder on our side, then nothing will stop us from obtaining our ultimate goal."

"Even so," Vexen stated. "Her abilities are nothing to sneeze at. It's possible there's nothing like them in all the worlds. Simply disposing of her would be a terrible waste."

"So what? You plan on keeping her around as a pet?" Xigbar asked humorously. "You already tried making a replica, and look how well that turned out."

"She doesn't belong here," Saix stated matter-of-factly. "She was a tool from the start."

"Let us not be hasty," Xemnas said cutting across the chatter. The three looked over at him and he continued. "I agree that keeping her around may lead to problems, but until her abilities cease from being a use to us she will remain here. However, her stay can easily change from guest status to one of prisoner if she continues to try to take liberties."

"She's taken far too many as it is," Vexen stated vehemently. "Let us just change it now so that I may finish discovering a way to use her abilities without her. I've been working on a machine that should only need her actual heart in order to work."

"We will not take the chance that her losing her heart would make the ability disappear," Xemnas cut in. "Saix, Xigbar, you will continue to watch her. If at any time you deem her to be a threat, alert me immediately and we will correct her situation."

The three agreed to this, Saix and Vexen with different levels of disinclination, and Xigbar who was just looking forward to seeing how this would all pan out.

"In the meantime," Xemnas stated, drawing the meeting to a close. "I will seek out the remnants of the keyblade wielder myself."

* * *

"ACHOO!"

"You seem to be coming down with something," Luxord commented to Thorn after her powerful sneeze. "You won't be at the top of your game like that."

"I'm not coming down with anything," Thorn muttered in irritation as she rubbed her nose. "Anyway, you still haven't told me what we're doing in Paris yet."

"I haven't? Well apparently there's a heartless roaming around that has been shooting at the villagers from quite a distance. Demyx was unable to continue playing the game of hide and seek, so that would be our job," Luxord explained. "How about another wager? We each head in different directions to find said attacking heartless and the one who finds it and destroys it wins...but there has to be proof."

"Sounds like fun, what are your demands?" Thorn asked. She really did enjoy playing against him...even if he did always stack the deck in his favor. "I get to drop you off in any world I choose for an hour and see how you fair on your own," Luxord answered with a sly smile.

"Fine, and if I win you will make sure there are reasons I can't go to the lab the next time I am assigned that," Thorn agreed with a smile to match.

"You indeed drive a hard bargain," Luxord stated rubbing his goatee thoughtfully with his fingers. At first it looked as though he might decline her request, but then he nodded. "Very well, I agree to your terms."

"Then let the games begin," Thorn said, stealing his line.

The two went their separate ways, each intending to catch their quarry first. Thorn had every intention of winning this round and getting a free day off from Vexen's room of torturous boredom. Her first place she was checking was the bell tower. What better place to shoot things from, right? Even if it wasn't there, the view was high enough to where she could easily spot it if it appeared anywhere else. She thought about the last time she visited this world, when Axel had been with her. She sighed at the memory, wishing she could relive it.

Rather that take the stairs she decided just to teleport to the balcony. She looked out over the city. This was the spot; the very place they'd had their first…

BOOM!

Thorn did a tuck and roll as a cannon shell came sailing at her. It exploded feet away from where she was, the aftershock almost knocking her off her feet. When she got her balance back, she searched around fervently for the source. There was another large sound followed by another projectile coming at her from above. She looked up and saw it was her target and the high rooftop. A Heartless in the shape of a large cannon. Thorn teleported up to where the Heartless sat. Immediately she gazed inside of it, searching for a familiar face. The cannon was lighting its next fuse when she found him.

"Irvine!"

Another cannon fire had her dashing away to avoid a nasty impact. She'd done it! She'd found him. Now she just had to extract the heart before the bugger had the chance to run away.

First she was going to have to do something about that cannon fire. She blasted away the next few shots as she tried to get closer to it. Then, just as she got within point blank range, it tried to fire off one more shot and she froze it in place. Once its movements were frozen, she focused her energy and her mind into separating out the heart she desired and pulled it from the creature before pocketing it.

"Don't worry, Irvine," she whispered to the heart she'd just recovered. "You'll be back with Zell and Zidane soon...then maybe we can all go home."

Heart fully secured, Thorn levitated the heartless, said goodbye to the talking gargoyles while erasing their memories of her and headed out to find her traveling companion. It didn't take her long to locate Luxord and when she did, she had a full triumphant smile on her face.

"Well, it looks like I win this one," she chuckled. "Can't wait for my lab free day...and try to make it a good one okay." As she spoke, she destroyed the heartless in front of him. "Shall we RTC now?"

"Indeed," Luxord said with a light bow. "I congratulate you on your victory."

Thorn stared at him as he straightened up and led the way back to the portal that would take them back to the castle. _"He didn't… no… there's no way he just LET me win, is there?"_ Thorn shook the thought from her head .There was just no way. Luxord prided himself too much on being a game master, The Gambler of Fates.

Once Thorn got back she was ready to go find Axel and tell him the exciting news. Well… exciting for her mostly but… if she could find her friends, certainly she could find him and Saix, right?

Before she could head off, however, Saix caught her. "If you're going to look for Axel, he has yet to return."

Thorn stopped and looked at him. Her body gave an involuntary shiver at the look he was giving her. "Oh, um, that's alright," she said with a forced smile, trying to lighten whatever mood he was in. "I can wait."

"Yes, I suppose you can," he replied coldly. "However, I would strongly advise against it."

Thorn stared at him. Was he… actually telling her to stay away from Axel? "Look," she said. "I don't know what I did to upset you but…"

"Such arrogance," Saix said shaking his head. "You actually believe that you have the power to cause me to feel anything? Or him for that matter? We have no hearts, we cannot feel. So whatever you think you share with him is purely artificial."

"If it's artificial then the only one who'd get hurt from it is me right?" Thorn demanded feeling the anger rising inside of her. "Then what should it matter? And what's wrong with REMEMBERING a feeling more than usual? Why are so pissed off?" The two glared at each other for a bit as her mind tried to grasp just what had happened to the nicer Saix. "Did I make it seem like I was going back on my word? Did I threaten you in some way? Did I not get a certain part of the castle as clean as you wanted? Is it because that replica told Axel my promise was a lie?" Then it dawned on her as she saw Saix's face twitch the slightest at the mention of Axel's name. "Wait...you're...afraid."

"I fear nothing...but you certainly should," Saix retorted as anger began to show more and more on his face. "I would try not to do things your own way for awhile...if you want to keep your freedoms, that is."

Thorn didn't know what else to say, and when he turned away from her she quickly backed out of the room and hurried as far away from him as she could. She released the breath that had been trapped in her chest under Saix's frigid stare. Her heart was pounding, and she realized she WAS afraid. Saix saw her as a threat, Vexen wanted her replaced, and Xigbar was quite possible watching her every move. Suddenly this place no longer felt warm and friendly. She felt trapped, caged, her remaining days numbered. The only reason she was still breathing with her heart in tact as of now was because she still had her uses.

She wanted to go to Axel's room and wait for him, but Saix's words of warning haunted her. So instead she went to her own room and put Irvine's heart with Zell's and Zidane's in the music box.

"I could leave now," she thought to herself.

Granted, she would need some help getting back to Twilight Town, but if she wanted, she could call it mission success and escape the first chance she got. However, she thought about the promise she'd made, both to Axel and Saix. She couldn't go back on her word, not now.

Thorn went to her bed and curled up into the sheets. Just in case, she put a protective ward around her bed, so that if anyone tried to approach her, she would know.

* * *

Axel was exhausted when he finally made it back from his mission. It was late, so when he went back to his room, he was surprised to find his bed exactly as he'd left it that morning, unoccupied.

He was highly confused by the unoccupied bed and decided to go look for the one he spent his nights with. It didn't seem right after all this time to make her sleep alone again. So he headed off to her room finding the door unlocked...but something seemed off about it anyway. He pushed open the door and glanced inside seeing Thorn lying alone in her bed in the darkened room.

"She must have gotten sick of all the white while she was waiting," he thought with amusement as he approached her bed. He'd gently let her know he was there without waking her up too much. Well, he hoped he would, but that was not the case as Thorn suddenly with her hand pointing at his face and a dark look on her own face.

It quickly turned into surprise and then a smile of relief spread across it and she lowered her hand. "Oh, it's you Axel," she murmured softly as she scooted over on the bed. "Sorry about that, guess I've just been getting paranoid lately."

"I can tell," he said, bemused by her actions.

He was about to approach her when she stopped him. "Wait just a sec…" she waved her hand and the air shimmered a bit before going back to normal. "Okay, it's safe now."

"Just what is it you're protecting yourself from?" Axel asked as he continued to her bed and sat down on the mattress.

"I dunno… everything, I guess," she replied with a small shrug, not looking at him.

"Even me?" he asked playfully, nudging her shoulder lightly with his.

She smiled, though it didn't look natural in his opinion. "Axel…"

He looked at her, waiting for whatever it was she was preparing to say. The silence felt like a calm before a storm. Whatever it was, if her expression was any indication, he was sure he wasn't going to like it.

"I think…" she began. "It might be better if… we don't sleep together anymore."

What do you know, he was right. Was he happy about it? Hell no.

"Why not?" Axel asked watching her closely. He knew something big must have happened for her to be talking like that. "It better be a good reason because otherwise I'm passing out right here and you're going nowhere."

Thorn sighed and resisted the urge to lay her head against him. She had to help him understand how dangerous things were getting for her and she really didn't want him to get into trouble...especially just because she couldn't keep her hands to herself.

"Look, the fact is things are getting a little too dangerous for us to be fooling around. It'll be a lot safer for the both of us if we just sleep in our own beds." She hated saying it, but it needed to be done.

"Hmm...nope not good enough," Axel answered shaking his head while he wrapped his arms around her and forced her to lie down with him. "Now we're going to sleep. No more talk about us not sleeping together."

Thorn felt herself getting angry, at herself for having to do this, and at him for not understanding why. "Axel, let go of me!" She tried to push her him away and pry herself out of his grip, but he wasn't giving her any liberties. "You're being stupid."

Axel ignored her and turned her over on her back with him on top of her, pinning her arms down onto the bed. "No," he said in a low voice. "At this point, letting you go would be the stupid thing to do."

"Get off me," she growled.

"What are you so afraid of?" Axel demanded.

"Don't you get it?" she screamed up at him. "I can't stay here. Sooner or later I'm going to have to leave, and either it'll be me walking out or them getting rid of me." She was breathing heavily her body trembling. "And I don't want to make you choose between me and a friend."

Axel stared down at her in disbelief. She was breaking down… she looked like she was about ready to cry. She really was scared. "I asked you before," he said, not moving off her. "Do you regret coming here with me?"

Thorn took a while to answer, but at length she shook her head decisively. "No."

"Well good," he said. "Because I don't regret bringing you, and you think I'm gonna let you go, just like that?"

His grip on her tightened, his green eyes hardening.

"Let's get something straight. You can try to run and hide from me, and you can push and shove me away all you want, but I'm not going anywhere. No matter what kind of mess you're in, no matter how bad it is, even if you get swallowed by darkness, I'll be there to pull you out. Got it memorized?"

Thorn stared up at him feeling her heart swell and her breathing quicken even more. After a long moment of silence she smiled and nodded. "I got it," she said relaxing in his grip. "I won't forget...so you'd better not go back on your word...you idiot."

He smiled back down at her and relaxed his grip before he leaned down and kissed her. "You won't be escaping from me that easily," he laughed.

Thorn smiled and pulled her arms out of his grip before reaching up and stroking his cheek.

Axel was more than ready for sleep. However, before that, he felt he needed to teach this girl a little lesson. So he reached up and began unzipping her cloak which she'd neglected to shed herself. The silver zipper parted exposing her revealing black spaghetti strap. The red head was pleased to see his mark, placed right over her heart, was still visible, only a little faded. He lifted his hand to his mouth and bit the middle finger of his glove, pulling it off with his teeth and tossing it aside. Then he slid his bare hand beneath her top, stroking his fingers over the grooves of her ribs. Taking a step further, his leaned his head down and began leaving light kisses on her tummy.

Thorn pulled her arms out of the sleeves of her cloak before immediately gripping the covers of the bed as his kisses and fingers moved gently along her body. He caressed and massaged her ribs and belly as well as the area above her breasts. All the while she let loose a few moans of pleasure. She was enjoying it...maybe a little too much for Axel's taste.

As he moved along, his lips brushed across her chest just below her collar bone that made her squirm and brought a larger smile to her face. After that discovery he stayed where he was, kissing all around the area without actually touching it. He heard Thorn release an impatient groan and he paused looking up at her.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked allowing his next kiss to barely nick the area before continuing to skirt around it. "Is there something you want?"

Thorn scowled at him and tried sitting up but he easily held her down. He could tell she was getting frustrated, and he'd only just begun his progression of tormenting her. Axel got an idea, though he wasn't sure how it would play out. He decided to go ahead and give it a try since her position was all but compromising.

Axel fed some heat into his fingers before placing them on her neck and trailing them down, making a blazing trailing along her collar down her side and over her stomach. Thorn gasped in surprise and sighed, her eyes fluttering closed. Axel smirked, and tried the same thing with his lips, allowing them to touch her neck and ear as he fed her skin tingling warmth.

"Do you like this?" he asked her huskily. "If so, tell me. "

He could easily tell how much she liked it by the way she was gripping his arms, but he wanted to here her say it, and then beg him for more.

"Tell me how much you like this," he whispered, his breath tickling her skin as the warmth continued to seep into her skin.

"I...I like it," she whispered after a long struggling moment as he continued his administrations.

"Was that a 'no'? Hmm...maybe I should stop then." He slowly began lifting his head off of her but her hand shot out and held his head in place. "Something wrong?" He could see Thorn struggling with whether or not to cave in to his demands...then…

"D-don't stop," she requested trying not to sound pleading. "I...I want more...of it."

"Good answer," Axel chuckled and his moved his mouth down to her chest area while his hands dug under the hem of her top and began pulling it up.

He met with no resistance and she lifted her arms up in order to let him strip the top off, revealing a lacey black bra underneath. The moment his hands ran over the full mounds, Thorn's body arched a little in delight. Her fingers reached up for his zippers but he sat up away from her hands, not giving her the pleasure.

Axel took his hands away, eliciting a groan of complaint. "Sorry, I was under the impression you wanted this off," he said as he unzipped his cloak.

She really did...but she didn't want him to stop either. That's why she attempted to take it off herself. It was infuriating for Thorn to watch him remove it himself and when he finished he leaned down just far enough where he could resume what he was doing before, but she was unable to reach his solid chest.

"N-not fair," she panted, her breathing coming much faster than usual because of the intense stimulus.

"This is all for you though," Axel chuckled. "No reason for you to think about anything besides what I'm doing to you."

More importantly, he didn't _need_ her to do anything. He was getting off just by watching her writhe underneath him. Every breath she took, her chest rose, her breasts swelling under the constraints of her bra. Axel removed his other glove and let his hands lightly wander over her chest area, his thumbs occasionally brushing over the peaks, causing her body to tense up beneath him. When he squeezed them, her hips came up to meet his with her heels digging into the mattress. Oh yeah, she liked that, he thought with a smile.

Axel moved one of his hands underneath Thorn, lifting her up into his chest while his other hand went lower, until it found the hem of her skirt. Thorn wrapped her arms around him and his fingers ducked under the skirt and began its investigation of the new area. He could feel Thorn's heavy breathing hot against his neck and he could tell she was trying her hardest to stay in control of herself. To keep it all locked in, hidden from him.

His finger flicked across a rather sensitive area and she jerked away from the touch for a moment, a low moan escaping her as she did so.

"You obviously didn't like that," he whispered to her pulling his hand out from under the skirt.

"W-wait." The word came out of her as if it wasn't even hers. It sounded almost desperate. "I-I liked it. P-please...do it again."

She could feel him grin at that and pulled her skirt off to allow easier access, though he made sure her black lacy underwear remained in place. "If you say so," he whispered sliding his hand back down below.

Axel continued to play with her as she clung to him for what seemed like dear life. Her nails occasionally dug into his skin, indicating he'd hit a particularly good spot. After awhile he set her back onto the bed and gave her a moment to catch her breath while he did away with his pants. Once he was back over her, she was staring up at him, her pale skin flushed and her breathing heavy. Her lips wouldn't say it, but her eyes were clearly asking him why he was being so malicious.

He just smiled in answer and lowered himself on top of her once more, his lips descending on hers. At last, he gave her something to do and in moments their tongues were at war with one another. His hand slid into her dark locks, lightly grabbing a fistful of feather soft hair while her hands began the exploration of his body they'd been craving since he first removed his cloak.

It was quite awhile before Axel finally released her mouth and allowed them both time to breath. "Want me to remove the rest?" he asked her as she continued to map his torso out with her fingers. She didn't answer not wanting to admit that she wanted him to do a lot more. He moved his hands in just the right way that she gasped in surprise and arched against him. "Do you want me to do more?"

She panted heavily and her head was spinning from lack of oxygen and the high she was on. "Y-yes...please," she almost begged.

He kissed her again and moved his hands so they were tugging on her two undergarments. Then she felt him smile against her, let go of her garments and slide off of her and onto the bed. "Well...I'm tired. Night."

Axel counted a full nine seconds before he felt the bed shift and suddenly he was being smacked with one of her pillows.

"You ass!" Thorn shouted and proceeded to hit every part of him she could reach.

Axel was laughing harder than he had in years which only made the goth girl more determined to beat him to death with her pillow. After a while he sat up and caught the pillow before grabbing her hands to get her to stop. One look at her face and Axel was laughing again.

"It's not funny!" Thorn exclaimed, trying to jerk herself away from him.

Axel however, held on fast and pulled her against him so that their bodies were as close as could be. With the exception of undergarments of course.

"I couldn't resist," he said rubbing her back and kissing her neck in order to placate her. "But tell me, how are you feeling right now?"

"How am I feeling?" she asked incredulously, still trying to pull away though not quite as ferociously. "How do you think? I'm worked up and frustrated."

"Yeah, that's exactly how I…" He quickly corrected himself. "That's what I remember every time you try to push me away. I don't like it."

Thorn inspected his serious face as he said this and her head drooped a little. "Sorry...but I really am worried. I'd rather not see you get into trouble because of me," she murmured trying to make him understand her reason for trying to push him away. "But, I really don't want you to go away either."

"Well you don't have to worry about that," Axel told her, kissing her again. "Like I said, I'm not going anywhere." She smiled warmly and kissed him back, then the two settled into the pillows with Thorn resting on Axel's arm.

"One question," Thorn asked after a few minutes of silence. "Why did you stop? I mean, I wouldn't have been able to stop you at all."

Axel scratched at his head, as though racking his brain for the answer. "It just didn't feel right, you know? I mean, sure, I'm remembering what it's like to feel, but there's still that part of me that's numb." Axel placed a hand over where his heart was supposed to be. "I want to be whole, so that I can get the full experience."

Thorn nodded in understanding. Granted, she was still disappointed that it ended so soon, but she wanted him to be able to enjoy it as much as she knew she would. "Then I just need to hurry up and complete you," she said with a playful poke to his ribs. "I already found all three of my friends."

"You have?" Axel asked in surprise.

"Yeah, I forgot to tell you," Thorn exclaimed with joy. "I found Irvine on my last mission. So all I have left is yours and Saix's."

"I can't wait," Axel stated turning toward her and giving her another kiss. "Now get some sleep...you seem exhausted."

Thorn didn't need telling twice. All the worries she'd had earlier were all but gone. There was no need to create a barrier with him there. She closed her eyes and after a few minutes she was out like a light.

* * *

CM: Oh, Axel is such a meanie. I know we pushed the envelope on that one, but I don't think we went over the rating. ;) Let's just hope this wonderful relationship can last. Hope you all enjoyed that and look forward to seeing what comes next.


	31. Basket Case

**Chapter 31: Basket Case**

_Lea wandered through the halls of the castle, wishing something exciting would happen. The silver tassels of his black cloak clinked lightly against the metal chain, his boots making steady thumps as he walked. Ever since he and Isa got jobs at the castle, life didn't seem much of an adventure anymore. They'd been so good at sneaking into the bastion their talents had finally been recognized. Now they had a place to stay, steady income, and never a shortage of food._

_Still… things had been a lot more fun back then when they were kids. The pains of growing up he supposed._

_He passed Dilan and Aeleus in the hall and gave them both a cheeky grin before waving hello. Even though it had been years since, the two of them hadn't forgotten about how much trouble he and his friend had caused them in their youth._

_Dilan glared in his direction while Aeleus simply continued to watch him closely. It was clear they still didn't trust him and Lea was sure they didn't trust Isa either. Either way, he shrugged off the looks and continued down the halls making sure any other kids didn't attempt what the two friends used to. Unfortunately for him, the halls remained clear which meant another regular boring day._

_After a time of walking about, Lea contemplated going to see what was in the rooms that Dilan and Aeleus were guarding. No one was allowed inside, though he did occasionally see someone wearing a white coat go in and out. It was only ever one person that left, but he was sure there were others...and white coat usually meant a lab of some sort. What could they possibly be working on that would make their lab off limits to everyone including the guards? Lea couldn't stand just thinking about it anymore...he had to find out for himself._

"_Daydreaming on the job again, Lea?"_

_Lea grinned at the sound of the voice and turned to see his best pal, Isa coming towards him from the opposite end of the hall. Like Lea, Isa had decided to let his hair grow out, and it was now a curtain of blue past his shoulders. His handsome features were also the draw for many of the girls in town. Isa had even unintentionally snatched away Dilan's girlfriend, something the guard was still trying to get over. He'd grown up to be a real heart breaker, this guy._

"_Hey, Isa," Lea greeted. "Just thinking about going some place I'm not supposed to be. Care to join me?"_

_Isa's sea green eyes narrowed in mild disapproval. "We're not kids anymore, Lea. We cannot simply do as we wish without regard towards the consequences."_

"_Aw, come on," Lea insisted. "For old times sake. Plus, aren't you the slightest bit curious what they're always working on down below?"_

_"I'll admit I'm curious," Isa replied with a sigh. "But I also know that getting caught down there may result in out immediate termination of employment and I'd rather not risk such an outcome."_

_"What if they're using the other guards for experiments leaving only those two as the ones they don't touch," Lea suggested conspiratorially. "What if they're running out of subjects and we're next on their list for the next experiment?"_

_"Then wouldn't it be a better idea not to go down into the possibly deadly lab?" Isa pointed out with an amused smile. "They may be attempting to lure you there waiting to trap you the moment you enter."_

_"Woah...I never thought about that," Lea mumbled, his mind racing at the new possibilities he was now seeing. "Well, I guess that settles it...now I really have to go and see for myself."_

_Isa released a very long and wearing sigh. "Very well, if it will satisfy your curiosity, I'll play along. However, mark this as the last idiotic thing I ever do with you."_

_Lea grinned in full and patted his friend on the shoulder. "Thanks, buddy. I knew I could count on you. First thing's first, we need to draw those guards away from that door."_

"_That would require quite the distraction," the blue haired fellow mused._

_"Exactly, and I know just what to do," Lea declared before leaning in and whispering something into Isa's ear. "So just do all that and I'll make sure I'm in and out without being spotted. I'll even make sure I tell you about everything I see down there...'kay?"_

_Isa looked at the red head with an eyebrow raised. "Please tell me that was all supposed to be a joke," he muttered._

_"Nope...now go get it started...I'm about to see something amazing," Lea thought as he dashed off knowing Isa would take care of his end. He knew he probably could have come up with a plan that would allow both of them to enter that lab...but he didn't want to make his buddy lose his job over something so stupid._

_He waited nearby for several minutes until Dilan and Aeleus were called away. Seemed the distraction was a success. Beaming with excitement, Lea double checked that the coast was clear before slipping through the door and shutting it behind him. He descended down a very long passageway leading deeper down into the castle. He was careful not to make a sound in case someone was either coming up or going down._

_After a few minutes he could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak. Licking his lips in anticipation, he continued forward towards whatever secrets this underground room held. He could hear machines running, and… moaning?_

_Lea reached the doorway and peered in. What he saw was a bigger surprise than what he'd bargained for. It was a huge laboratory with machines Lea couldn't even guess the functions or purposes of. That wasn't the shocking part though._

_Three people were sprawled out on the floor, all three he recognized in passing. The two in lab coats worked as scientist there, Even and Ienzo, and then there was Braig. Without thinking Lea rushed in, and went to the younger scientist's side._

"_Hey! What's wrong?" he asked loudly trying to shake him awake. The silver haired male did not respond and Lea then noticed there was a strange dark mist coming out of the boy's body. Scratch that, all three of them were emitting it._

_"What the heck?" he exclaimed backing away slightly. What in the world could have done all that and without those two noticing! As he was busy trying to figure out what he was seeing, Even managed to wake up long enough to glance around the room._

_"Y-you fool," he managed to get out in an angry tone. "You've...let them...escape."_

_At this, Lea looked at the room closer noticing for the first time the many empty jars lying broken on the floor and even in the shelves. Then to his horror the three people began to disappear into the black mist that continued to pour out from them. After another minute or so, the mist cleared and they were all gone._

_"What did he mean by that?" Lea asked himself completely freaked out by what he'd just seen. Then it struck him and he spun around to see the door he'd come through still open. Whatever had done that to those three was now loose in the castle...with Dilan, Aeleus, and...Isa._

_Lea rushed out of the lab, sprinting back up to the castle ground floor. Once out in the halls, he searched around for anyone or anything but found nothing._

"_Isa! Dilan! Aeleus!" he shouted but received no answer._

_He was about to head off down the hall to see if he could find them, when a flicker of movement caught his attention. Lea spun around and he nearly recoiled at what he saw._

"_What the hell…"_

_A creature, black as night rose up out of the floor. It was humanoid, with glowing yellow eyes and twin protrusions from its head. Was this the thing responsible for what happened to those three? Whatever the thing was, it didn't look friendly. Lea got out his weapons, preparing to defend himself if he needed to._

_The creature stared at him for several moments before finally attacking. Lea jumped back from it when he saw it move and quickly swung his weapon hoping to kill it. Unfortunately his weapon went right through the black body without leaving any sign of damage. "What the hell were they making?" he thought to himself as dodged the next attack. The creature was fast and gave no indication on what its next move was. He continued to square off against the strange creature knowing he had to find some way to get rid of it before it made its way outside and into the town._

_As he tried to think of a way to actually hit it, he suddenly heard a shout of, "Lea get down!"_

_He spun around and was shocked to see a shadowed claw reaching out from the wall behind him. He momentarily froze at the sight, feeling as if in slow motion as he watched the claw draw ever closer. Then the trance was suddenly broken as something slammed into his arm knocking him to the floor where he rolled back onto his feet._

_Lea gasped, seeing his friend Isa down on one knee with a hand clutching his face in agony. "Isa!"_

_The blue haired male drew his hand away to reveal two large scratches over his face forming an X. They did not bleed, but instead seeped the same strange black vapor Lea had seen earlier. Several more dark creatures began appearing, coming in through the floors, walls, and ceilings alike._

"_Lea… get out of here!" Isa shouted, pulling himself back to his feet with the assistance of his claymore._

"_And leave you behind?" Lea demanded going to his friend's side. "Gimme a break! We need to find Dilan and Aeleus and…"_

"_They're already gone, Lea," Isa told him. "Vanished."_

_Lea's eyes widened at this. As strong as the other two were, they were defeated by these strange black creatures...what were he and Isa supposed to do? "Then let's just get out of here. They're still inside the castle so we might be able to trap them inside."_

_"They move through the walls, Lea," Isa pointed out as he fully stood up, though he did sway a little. "No matter what, they'll eventually make it outside. So I'm going to take as many as I can down before then. You go and try to get as many people out of the city as possible."_

_"Our weapons can't hurt them," Lea shouted at him as he pulled his friend out of the way of the next attack. "What do you plan to do wave your sword around until you figure out how to crush a shadow with steel?"_

"_There's no time," Isa told him harshly. "Just hurry up and…"_

_His words were cut off as the floor suddenly gave way beneath them. Lea glanced around and saw they were both sinking into a sea of darkness, drifting further and further apart. Lea struggled, trying to pull himself out, but it was like being pulled through quicksand._

"_Isa!" Lea shouted stretching out a hand towards his friend._

_Isa saw Lea and reached for him, but it was clear he was at the end of his strength. Lea strained his arm out, feeling the muscle fibers tearing at the exertion. Just a little farther… just one more inch…. Isa's eyes drifted closed, no longer able to maintain consciousness, and his hand dropped out of reached. Lea watched in horror as his best friend was swallowed by the darkness, vanishing from sight._

_"ISA!" he shouted as he continued to struggle in the quagmire...but to no avail. In no time at all his strength was used up as well and pretty soon, he too was swallowed in the blackness._

* * *

Thorn thrashed around trying to fight off the suffocating darkness that was threatening to swallow her. She opened her mouth to scream for help, but no sound would come. Then she felt something grab her and began to shake her.

"Thorn, snap out of it!"

Thorn's eyes opened and she realized she was still in bed with Axel who was staring anxiously at her.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked slowly as her eyes gradually focused on him.

"Yeah," she replied after a few moments. "It was just a nightmare. I'm fine now." She smiled up at him in a reassuring manner as she spoke before burying her face into the crook of his arm.

"Are you sure?" he asked pulling her tight. He felt her nod and sighed. "Why don't you tell me what you saw?"

"Because, if you talk about a bad dream before you eat then it'll come true," she replied.

Axel laughed a little at that. "I seriously doubt that." He rubbed her back a little and after a while she seemed to calm down. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yeah, I'll be alright," Thorn reassured him. She wanted to tell him, but at the same time she didn't want to bring up bad memories. _"I'll tell him later,"_ she thought.

It was a while before she managed to fall asleep again.

The next day Axel stayed with Thorn until she left for the labs before going to the Grey Area for his mission. He was in luck, there was no one in there, save for Saix.

"Morning," Axel greeted approaching the blue haired member.

"You're late," Saix told him with a sharp look. "Everyone else has already left."

"That so?" Axel said with a smile. "Well, before I go, I need to ask you something." Saix stared at him blankly and Axel thought about how to pose his next question. "Did you say something to Thorn? Something to make her think she needs to stay away from me?" He didn't want to accuse Saix of anything, but what Thorn said the night before, about having to choose between her and a friend, made him wonder. Why should he have to choose? Saix was supposed to be on their side.

"I merely warned her to attempt to tread more carefully as she is now beginning to be viewed as a threat to the organization," Saix answered calmly. "Doing whatever she feels like may soon not be an option for her."

"Well...it must have been the way you said it then because she was really freaked out last night," Axel told him. "She even went so far as to put up a barrier around her bed."

"As amusing as that is, my words were not the cause," Saix stated firmly.

Axel thought about it for a moment then nodded, deciding to believe him. "That's all I needed to know."

As he got ready to make himself a portal, Saix spoke up again. "You should tread with caution also, Axel. If you become too attached, you'll only lose the confidence of your superiors."

The red head turned to look back at him. "You're the one who told me to get close to her."

"I said to 'get close'," Saix concurred. "I said nothing about you getting 'involved'."

_"Shoot, he knows,"_ Axel thought with a groan. "Look, she's keeping her promise so we'll be able to finish our goal. I don't see what the problem is."

"Are you sure you're doing this for the goal or for something else?" Saix asked, his face darkening a little.

Axel couldn't deny that he did have other motives for wanting her help...but his initial motive still remained. "I want to complete the goal," he said simply. "We should be able to finish them very soon too."

Saix closed his eyes and turned away from him. "You should hurry. You've wasted enough time as it is."

Axel didn't like how Saix just ended the conversation like that, but decided not to push it. Instead he went on his mission like he was supposed to.

'Please, Isa,' he thought to himself, willing whatever little connection they had left to pull them through this. 'Don't make me choose.'

* * *

At the end of the day Thorn dragged herself out of the lab and headed for Axel's room. She was sure that if she didn't go back, he'd have another dose of punishment and she wasn't sure if she could take another one. Along the way, she passed by the Grey Area and spotted someone unfamiliar standing alone inside.

"Hey...are you new here?" she asked heading inside.

The person in question turned slowly and stared in her direction nearly lifeless looking.

"Um...are you okay?"

He said nothing, just stared at her.

"I'm Thorn...I'm the only one here that actually has a heart."

Again he said nothing...but she was sure she knew him from somewhere.

"What's you're name?"

"He won't say anything," a voice stated from behind her. "He hasn't spoken to anyone since he arrived." Thorn turned to see Xigbar standing in the doorway. "He ain't much fun to talk to, but that's what happens when you lose your heart and all your memories."

Thorn looked back at the young boy. He really did look like a zombie. His wide blue eyes stared at her, but did not react to what they saw. His short, spiky blonde hair stuck up all over the place in a crooked mess. Even though he was dressed in the Organization uniform, he didn't act the way the rest of them did, like they were still human.

"Does everyone start off this way?" Thorn asked Xigbar, while keeping her gaze on the young boy. It wasn't very often she was willing to converse with the guy, but he at least seemed to usually know what was up.

Xigbar laughed. "Ha, as if! When people lose their hearts, that's all they lose. They don't normally turn into basket cases."

Thorn observed the boy who hadn't reacted to the exchange at all. She reached out a hand and ran it through the boy's hair, attempting to straighten it out a little with her fingers. "You're not a basket case," she told him with a smile. "Talking's overrated anyway."

Xigbar laughed. "Since when did you become a mother?"

"Since I found someone who's worse off than me," Thorn answered with a shrug. She didn't care about his comment but it didn't really bother her either. She felt like the boy needed a gentle helping hand to get him started in his new life. "Are you saying I'm forbidden from showing the kid some compassion and help fix his hair? It really was a mess and he certainly wasn't going to do anything about it."

"Heh, nice to know our little Roxas is in good hands," he said before leaving the room.

"Roxas," Thorn repeated meeting the boy's blank gaze. Thorn vaguely remembered the conversation she'd had with Axel about names. What was it he'd said?

"The only reason my name right now is different is because the leader mixed the letters around and jammed an X wherever he felt like it."

Roxas… so if you took out the X and rearranged it, you got…

Thorn's eyes widened. Sora.

"You're...Sora's...Nobody," she muttered to herself her eyes showing the sadness she felt at seeing him. "Well...I suppose his heart was taken and he was turned into a heartless...so it only makes sense that he'd have a Nobody around too. I just didn't expect his to be so...empty." Slowly she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and whispered into his ear. "I'm sorry you ended up like this...but don't worry your heart is well protected...I'm sure you'll get it back one day...and your memories." She let him go and fixed his hair once more. "Just make sure you don't let the other members walk all over you okay," she chuckled lightly. "Don't let anyone take away your right or will to live."

"Hey, I see you've met the new guy," an amused voice floated over to her just as she was turning to leave. "What do you think?"

"I think it's pretty sad he ended up like this, Axel," Thorn answered easily. "But I'm sure he won't stay like that forever."

"Yeah, well, guess who's in charge of babysitting him," Axel said. Not even giving her time to answer, he pointed a thumb at his chest. "Yours truly." He shook his head and lowered his hand. "Man, I cannot catch a break."

"Better you than half of the people here," Thorn told him with a smile. "I have to say, I'm a little more relieved to hear that."

"Yeah?" Axel asked, grinning a little. "How do you figure?"

"I just…. Know you'll treat him right," she replied.

Axel gave a soft exhale. "Well, for the time being, all my time is gonna be going to this kid. I gotta show him the ropes and see if I can get him to do more than just stare off into space."

"I'm sure you won't have any problems with that," Thorn told him encouragingly. "You got me to smile."

"True enough," Axel agreed putting a hand on her head. "Well, why don't you get to bed...I'll be in as soon as I finish taking care of this kid."

Thorn nodded and gave him a quick kiss before heading out.

After a moment he turned back to Roxas and grinned. "You're not to do that, okay? You'll probably be smacked if you do."

Roxas just stared at him...and then looked toward the door where Thorn disappeared.

"Anyway, it's time to get you to bed, follow me."

Axel led the kid through the halls of the castle. Occasionally he'd point out things to him or make stray comments, but for the most part the kid was unresponsive.

"Here we are," Axel told him as he showed the kid his room. "Home sweet home. This is where you'll be sleeping. If you need anything or have any questions, just ask, alright?"

Roxas looked up at him but made no reply.

"Oh, and the name's Axel. Ax… el," he sounded out slowly. "Got it memorized?"

Roxas slowly opened his mouth. "A…Ax…"

Axel stared in surprise. The kid was finally making noise.

"Axis." He said at last.

"Axel," the red head corrected.

Roxas looked down the hall where they just came from. "Th…Thorn."

Axel was stunned by this. She must have told him her name but it couldn't have been more than once. "Yeah, that was girl you saw before. I'll let you talk to her again another time." He opened the door and motioned for Roxas to go inside. "Now just lie down on the bed and go to sleep. I'll get you in the morning."

He watched the kid walk over to the bed and sit down before looking up at him. "Ax-el. Th-orn."

"Exactly...goodnight, Roxas."

* * *

The next few days both Axel and Thorn were kept fairly busy. So busy in fact it felt like they hardly got any time together. While he was busy with Roxas, Thorn was kept busy in the labs. By the time they were done with the day, both were too tired for anything save for sleep when night time rolled around.

Every morning Axel had to rush off to go fetch to new guy, leaving Thorn to get ready on her own. Every day it was back to the labs again, something she was coming to resent more and more. Vexen was working tirelessly on some new project and apparently her participation was required.

One day as she was headed down, she ran into a friendly face.

"Hey, Luxord," she greeted warmly. "Haven't left for you mission yet?"

"No, I was ordered to come collect you for your mission today," Luxord informed her.

"Mission? But...I was supposed to be in the lab today," she questioned in confusion.

"Plans change, and the players of the game must learn to adapt to them," Luxord answered with a smile. He walked past her on his way towards the Grey Area himself and patted her shoulder along the way. "My debt is now repaid...I hope we can have another wager shortly."

As he left Thorn smiled after him grateful he kept his word.

When she entered the room, she saw other than Saix, Lexaeus was there also. She approached the large silent one first.

"Are you my companion for today?" she asked him.

He inclined his head in answer. "Make sure you're well prepared."

Thorn nodded and visited with the moogle in the corner of the room. She wasn't exactly sure when he arrived. As far as she knew his only job at the organization was shopkeeper. Like all the other members, he lacked a heart.

"I don't think I ever got your name," Thorn said to him.

"My name is of no importance, kupo," the moogle told her.

"_Okay then,"_ Thorn thought, wondering what the guy's story was. He did look pretty adorable in his little black coat though.

Saix cleared his throat loudly grabbing Thorn's attention and she sighed as she said goodbye to the moogle and approached the pair once more. "So, where are we headed today?" she asked curiously. She looked Saix directly in the eye as she asked, but found herself wanting to look away again...something about his aura was, really frightening.

"You'll see when you arrive," Saix answered coldly. "You are to eliminate a rather large heartless that has appeared...don't let it escape."

"I never do," Thorn muttered but she turned away from the blue haired NOBODY and smiled at the larger one. "So, shall we get going then?" He simply nodded without a word and opened the portal before heading on in. "We'll be back soon...don't wait up for us." And she too entered the portal.

Thorn was nothing short of surprised when she saw where they had the mission. "Twilight Town, huh?" she said out loud. She hadn't realized how much she missed it there. Heck… she was almost tempted to pay DiZ a visit. Fat chance that would fly. Even if Lexaues didn't hate her, she doubted he would warrant any contact with people outside of the Organization. "So, where should we start looking?" she asked turning to Lexaeus.

"The target has been taking refuge in the lower tunnels," Lexaues explained to her. "Our duty is to eliminate it before it decides to start trouble on the surface."

"Alright...well since there are so many tunnels, why don't we split up and search on our own," Thorn suggested.

Lexaeus took a moment to think it over before nodding and heading into the nearest opening. There was a number 3 over the door. Then he decided to take the right path while motioning for her to take the left. "Meet back here if you do not find anything," he stated before disappearing down the tunnel.

"Sounds good to me," Thorn replied taking the left path. "He's sooo much more accommodating than my most recent partners. I have to remember to thank Luxord next time I see him."

The tunnels were fairly quiet, save for the usual pint sized heartless you saw every day. Thorn took her sweet merry time, not feeling any rush to get the job done. Even though it was summer, the tunnels were nice and cool.

She thought about the latest dream she'd had involving Lea and Isa. Thorn had still yet to tell Axel about it. It had been painful enough just for her to watch it. She didn't want to bring up a topic that would cause him to remember that pain. She also didn't know what to think of Saix anymore either. All she knew was she wanted to find their hearts now more than ever. Both of them. Maybe once Saix had his heart back, he could go back to being the person he used to be. Maybe he wouldn't hate her anymore.

And maybe… the three of them could all have ice cream together.

As her thoughts continued to rest on the two of them and what it might be like when they became SOMEBODYs once again, she noticed the tunnel grow darker momentarily and a few of the smaller heartless run in fear. Moments later, she felt an immense heat as a heartless came flying out of the shadows in her direction. She easily dodged it, feeling the heat as it passed by her.

"There you are," she muttered triumphantly. "Now, let's see how long I can..." She stopped as something caught her eye within the heartless. A single heart, dancing around joyfully drawing her towards it. "I don't believe it...Lea."

* * *

CM: Oh, cliffhanger! How mean are we? Well, let's see if our heroine will be able to capture the heart of our beloved red head. :P Thanks for reading, please review if you liked. :D


	32. Priorities

**Chapter 32: Priorities**

Thorn was so stunned by the discovery that she nearly missed the creature jump up and attempt to crush her beneath it. She only just managed to get out of its way, getting caught up in the shockwave as she went and thrown against a nearby wall. She quickly shook herself awake and jumped up onto her feet preparing to stop it before it went any farther. She would get that heart out...no matter what.

Thorn scanned the creature and immediately saw it was a fire elemental type. Typical, she supposed she should have expected nothing less since it was Axel's heart after all. It was a pretty powerful customer too. She first cast slow on the thing and then began casting blizzaga like no tomorrow. That knocked its health down really quick.

'_Okay,'_ she thought, her heart beating in anticipation. _'Now I just have to pull its heart out and…' _

Before she could start the process. The creature shook itself out of the slow spell and bounced passed her, rolling down one of the tunnels.

"Augh! Come back here!" she shouted, bolting after it.

She chased the creature throughout much of the tunnels. It was fast despite its size and shape and she was doing all she could to keep up with it. She even had to cast haste in order to keep it in her sights. As they began to draw closer to what she was sure would be the area Lexaeus was patrolling, she managed to cast and ice spell and freeze its foot to the ground momentarily pausing it. Once it was stopped and was attempting to free itself, she proceeded to cast a stop spell to keep it from moving entirely.

"After all this time, there is no way I'm letting you get away from me," she declared focusing her energy into separating the desired heart from the rest. "You will give me that heart." After what felt like a very long struggle in which she nearly lost her concentration and the heart, she was finally able to extract it. "Why hello, Lea. I guess it's high time you and I were introduced. I'm Thorn...and I'm the one who's going to return you to your body."

After pocketing the heart, Thorn cast one final ice spell on the heartless, causing it to burst out of existence. She watched the hearts float away and vanish from her sight.

"I thought I heard a ruckus…" Thorn turned to see Lexaues approach her. "It seems you didn't need my help after all."

The goth girl gave a breathy laugh and wiped some of the sweat off her forehead. "Hehe, nope. I got it all covered. That little beastie is long gone now."

The big man nodded in what might have been approval, though his face remained passive. "Then our work is done. It's time we RTC."

"Right…"

Thorn walked with him out of the tunnels and once they emerged into the balmy afternoon they headed back towards the portal. They were just about to step through when a voice called out to them.

"Hey, you two! Fancy meeting you here."

They turned and Thorn couldn't help but smile at the sight of them. She watched as Axel approached them with the still unresponsive Roxas in tow. "What business do you have here?" Lexaeus asked...though it was clear he really didn't care.

"Just showing the new guy a good time," Axel answered with a shrug. "Anyway, you two heading back?"

"Yep, we finished mission already," Thorn spoke up barely containing her excitement and speaking rather calmly.

"Well in that case why don't you just leave her with me," the redhead suggested with a smirk. "I'll keep an eye on her and you can go back in calming silence." Lexaeus looked the controller of flames over for a few moments before turning and leaving without a word. "I'll take that as a yes. So feel like joining us for some ice cream?"

He waited until the larger member had vanished.

"Sounds like fun," Thorn said with a laugh. "You seem to be doing well, Roxas." She greeted the younger NOBODY after answering Axel's question. She didn't want to be rude and leave him out, though his eyes did still look a bit glazed over.

"Th-Thorn," Roxas muttered barely coherently.

Thorn was pleasantly surprised by this. She hadn't expected him to remember her name. "Yeah, that's right."

"He's still working on getting human speech down," Axel said giving him a light pat on the back. "But he's at least starting to respond to some things."

"Great, let's see if he likes ice cream as much as you do," Thorn said jokingly.

The three of them went and got their ice cream, with Axel insisting Roxas try the sea-salt. As they sat up on the clock tower, Roxas stared at the bar clearly not understanding what he was supposed to do with it. Both Axel and Thorn took pity on the poor kid and instructed him that he was supposed to eat it. Both even gave demonstrations with their own ice cream.

At last, after a few more seconds of staring at the treat blankly, he lifted it to his mouth and took a bite. His eyes lit up a little. "It's salty… but sweet too."

"Yep, pretty good, right?" Axel asked him.

Roxas didn't reply but he did take another bite.

Axel smiled with a bit of triumph. "Heh, guess he likes it."

"Meh…" Thorn muttered. "I don't think his taste buds are registering right."

"Don't listen to her," Axel told Roxas. "She even admitted she liked it when it was coming from my…"

"Don't tell him that, you jerk," Thorn said giving the laughing red head a shove.

"Ah what's the harm?" Axel asked laughing heartily. "He's already seen us kiss before...though I did make sure to tell him he's not allowed."

"Right...sorry about that," Thorn murmured blushing slightly. She finished her ice cream with only a few more bites and watched Roxas for a few minutes as he took his time with each bite of his own. "Hey, Axel, can I talk to you for a second?"

He glanced up at her curiously but nodded and got to his feet instructing Roxas to stay where he was and that they'd be right back. "What's up?" he asked once they were out of Roxas' ear shot.

Thorn's calm face suddenly split into the widest grin he'd ever seen coming from her as she eagerly threw her hand into her pocket and took something out. "You won't believe what I found here...look." She held up the heart she had collected earlier and almost beamed at him. "I finally found it...your heart. Go ahead...you can take it."

Axel stared at the item in her hand in utter bewilderment. His eyes clearly said he couldn't believe it was true. Yet he knew she would never lie to him about something like this. For a long while he just stood, staring at the heart in her hands. Then his face fell a little and he turned away.

"I can't."

Thorn stared at him in confusion. "I don't understand. I thought you wanted…"

"I do," Axel said before she could finish. "But… I can't right now. There are still things I have to do and… I want to wait until Saix has his heart back first."

Ah… so that was it… Thorn could completely understand, and the fact he was willing to wait for his friend to get his heart back too made her respect him all the more.

Axel turned back to her with a smile. "So… until then, do you think you could hold onto it for me?"

She smiled warmly at him and put the heart away in her pocket once more. "You can count on me," she promised. "I'll keep it safe...until I find his as well...or at least until you're ready for it."

He smiled back and patted her head. "Thanks, Eva," he murmured softly. She glared up at him and he just laughed. "Well let's go check on the kid. I'm sure he's pretty spooked we haven't come back yet."

"With you around, he's probably always spooked," Thorn replied jabbing him lightly in the ribs.

"Like you're one to talk," Axel retorted, with a poke to her side causing her to laugh. "You laugh now, but wait until later when you're in bed."

"What? Am I supposed to be scared?" Thorn said, calling his bluff.

Axel chuckled a little before taking hold of her chin, gently rubbing his thumb over her skin. "You tell me."

Thorn felt herself start to shiver at his touch and had to pull away. "Of course I don't...after all, anything you can throw at me I'll just give it right back," she replied confidently. "So maybe you're the one who should be scared."

"Not likely," Axel laughed as he followed Thorn back to the edge of the tower where they'd left Roxas.

"Where'd you go?" Roxas asked as soon as they got back. His expression didn't really change, but there was the slightest feeling that he didn't like being left alone.

"We were just having some grown-up talk," Axel told him with a smile. "Nothing for you to worry about."

"Grown-up talk?" Roxas said looking nonplussed.

"Yeah, you'll learn when you're older," he assured the younger Nobody.

Thorn rolled her eyes before looking down at Roxas with a smile. "So, ready to head back?"

Roxas was still for a moment before he gave a slow nod in reply.

* * *

After another night of little sleep for both her and Axel, Thorn found herself wandering the halls of the Castle that Never Was. It was early afternoon and Vexen had released her from the lab early for some reason. She couldn't put her finger on the reason, but the idea of what he was doing that needed her absence made her feel a little nervous. Because it was still early, most of the members were still out on their missions and probably wouldn't be back for another few hours. Which meant going to the Gray Area would simply mean being in a room with only Saix...not the greatest person to hang out with. Instead of heading there like usual she took up trying to see if she could find where the NOBODY moogle was hanging around.

It wasn't until she reached the area that acted as a kind of elevator that she met anyone else. Inside, she found a rather short looking person with the hood of their cloak pulled up.

"Huh, this must be the newbie that Axel mentioned," she thought looking the person over. It was hard to tell just by looking if it was a boy or a girl and what body type they had because the cloak hid most of it. "Hello you must be Xion. I'm Thorn, the heartseer as the other members call me."

The person looked at her… or at least that what it looked like they were doing. Again, it was difficult to tell because of the hood drawn up. She couldn't even see the kid's face. "Um, it's nice to meet you. Axel tells me you're new here. Are you liking the castle so far?"

Again there was only silence as the person stared at her. Thorn honestly didn't know what to make of it. What is it with these newcomers and being so uncommunicative? Then again, Axel did mention this kid was even worse off than Roxas. Heck, this one wasn't even showing her face.

"Right, well I'm just roaming around today. You're welcome to join me." Silence. "I'll take that as a no. Well, if you ever need someone to vent to about how terrible Vexen is just come see me. I'll tell you some stories that'll make you forget you were...ang...irrit...wanting to hurt him." God it was tough coming up with some way of explaining something to these guys without mentioning emotions. Sometimes she really hated that. When she was again met with silence, she sighed and left the room. She'd said her bit and that was that. There was no reason to stick around her if she wasn't even going to allow her face to be seen. Roxas had at least been tolerable since you could see him.

After that it was a rather slow week. Apparently each day Roxas was being taken out on missions with several different people. Thorn pitied him when she heard how he not only had to partner with Larxene, but Vexen as well. In the meantime, she'd been making her rounds, hanging out with the other members in her spare time whenever Axel was busy.

While Demyx was as cheerful and as big a goofball as ever, the other's seemed slightly more restless.

"It's because there's going to be a change soon," Zexion informed her when she made the inquiry. She sat on his bed, looking from him to Lexaeus.

"What kind of change?"

The two exchanged glances and she could tell they were silently conversing on whether or not to tell her.

Thorn sighed. "Is it really that top secret?"

Zexion shook his head lightly. "No… I suppose not. You see… there is a selection process taking place for those being sent to our second headquarters."

"You guys have a second base?" Thorn asked with piqued interest.

"Yes, a base of sorts," Zexion replied with a nod. "Within the next week these chosen members will be sent over there for a prolonged amount of time."

"A month or two," Lexaeus expounded.

His voice took Thorn by surprise again and she had to take a moment to realize the deep voice had come from him. He really almost never talked...shame, she liked his deep barritone. "Do you think I'll be one of those people considered? Or will I just have to stick around here some more?"

"I suppose it is a possibility you might be sent there," Zexion said rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Though I cannot say for sure."

Thorn thought about this feeling somewhat troubled. If she was indeed relocated to this new place… well, the change of scenery would be nice, but would that mean leaving Axel behind? The idea of going somewhere foreign for a long period without him just didn't settle right with her.

"We won't know until the appointed time," Lexaeus spoke once again. "It's useless to speculate until then."

Thorn looked up and saw he was looking right at his. Though his expression was stony his grey blue eyes were softer by comparison. "Yeah, I suppose you're right," said Thorn with a faint smile. Shortly after that she left, taking one of Zexion's books with her for some light reading.

"I often wonder about her," Zexion commented to his ginger haired companion once she was gone.

When he didn't expand upon this statement, Lexaeus was all but obligated to ask. "How so?"

"It is difficult to put to words," Zexion confided. "However, certain… sensations seem to come easier whenever she is around. Have you noticed?"

Lexaeus nodded. He'd had them too, but since he hadn't been around her as much he'd only really noticed it once or twice.

"I asked Vexen about it, but he didn't have an answer. I wonder if the others receive it as well," Zexion continued. He looked back at his friend who simply gave him a look that said 'oh well'.

* * *

After another day of work, Vexen once again sent her out of the labs early, talking about 'needing to prepare'. So Thorn was once more wandering the castle for some sort of company or entertainment. When she wandered into the hall of melodies she was surprised to find Roxas fighting off a bunch of Dusks. The kid was doing pretty decently, albeit he was getting whacked around a bit here and there.

Thorn stood by and watched him for a bit as he used his keyblade to fend off the lesser Nobodies. He really was Sora's Nobody, that keyblade said it all. Still… why did he look different from Sora? Sure they had some similar characteristics but… from what she'd seen people didn't look all that different after losing their hearts.

"And what, pray tell, are you doing here?" a cold voice asked her.

Thorn looked over to Saix who seemed to be monitoring Roxas's battle skills.

"Vexen turned me loose early," Thorn replied with an indifferent shrug.

"That doesn't explain why you are here instead of in the Grey Area or your own room," Saix responded, his voice growing colder.

"I'm wandering around to kill time," Thorn answered matching his cold sound. "I just happened to end up here and when I saw the kid fighting I stopped to watch for a bit. He's pretty good."

"His training is not a show," Saix muttered dangerously. "Go find someone else to bother."

Thorn glared at him, but didn't respond. Something about the way he'd been acting lately told her he was quickly growing tired of her and starting to see fewer and fewer uses for her. Suddenly time in the labs seemed like a safer place to be. Still, she stuck around for a bit longer until she caught the look he was giving her and quickly left the room.

When she went to the Grey Area, she was surprised by the number of people there. Zexion and Lexaeus were on one side of the room while Larxene and Marluxia stood off in the other.

"Hey guys, what's going on?" she asked, approaching the two people she found to be tolerable.

"The selection has recently been made," Zexion informed her. "Those you see in this room have been chosen to go to our alternate headquarters."

"Vexen as well," Lexaeus grunted.

"No kidding?" Thorn said in surprise. She looked over at Marluxia and Larxene. Well, those two she certainly wouldn't miss, or Vexen for that matter. "So you guys having a going away party or something?"

"We were just discussing who will be assigned where," Marluxia answered with a smile as he approached her. "As it so happens, the leader has entrusted Castle Oblivion to me."

"Oh, well… lucky you," Thorn said with clear lack of enthusiasm. Castle Oblivion… that must be the name of their second base.

"Hmph, finally I can get out of this stuffy castle for a while," Larxene huffed. "Better yet, I won't have to see your ugly face around."

Thorn remained silent, not really caring what Larxene had to say. From the sound of things, Thorn wasn't going, meaning she wouldn't have to put up with Larxene for much longer.

A set of soft footsteps drew near and several heads turned. "What do you want, brat?" Larxene said scathingly.

Roxas looked down at the floor. "I was just…"

"Can't you see this is a grown-up's meeting?" she sneered. "Go play somewhere else."

"Stuff it, Larxene," Thorn said walking over to Roxas. "Come on, let's go somewhere away from the evil bi… er, dragon lady."

Roxas nodded and the two quickly left the room.

"So, are you enjoying the castle Roxas?" she asked trying to pull his attention away from the evil...dragon lady.

"Yeah, I guess," he answered staring at the floor.

"Has Axel or anyone else taken you to see the city yet?" she asked him glad to hear him having full answers now.

"No… what city?" Roxas asked looking up at her curiously.

Thorn smiled and held out her hand. "Let's go see it then." He nodded again, this time with a slight look of excitement in his eyes as he took her hand. She smiled warmly back at him before leading him through the Castle until they reached the entrance coming out the bottom at the edge of the City That Never Was. "Here we are," she said gesturing around them as she spoke. "This is a city, just without all the noise and bustle of hundreds of thousands of people."

"Hundreds of thousands?" Roxas asked in amazement. "That's a lot isn't it?"

"Well, yeah, silly," Thorn said with a small laugh. "Otherwise it wouldn't be considered a city."

"You laughed…" Roxas said looking up at her. "Does that mean we're friends?"

"I can see Axel's been teaching you some things," Thorn commented in slight amusement. She nodded. "Yeah… I think you and I could be really good friends. You're definitely more fun to be around than most people in this place."

Roxas smiled at that before getting a contemplating look on his face. "Are… you and Axel friends?"

"Uh…" Thorn flushed, wondering how she should answer that. "Yeah… sure, we're… really good friends." She wasn't about to use terms such as boyfriend and girlfriend. She didn't want to be assuming or have to explain to Roxas what all that entailed.

"So you eat ice cream together?" Roxas asked.

She nodded again. "When we can. I was with you guys when Axel first treated you to ice cream, remember?"

"Oh yeah," Roxas murmured with a nod. He was clearly thinking back on the day and something seemed to have clicked. "What were you guys talking about?"

"It doesn't really matter," Thorn told him quickly. "I might tell you another time though...when you're older okay."

He sighed and nodded again. "Okay. So...can we see the city now?"

Thorn smiled again and once again took his hand. "Yes, let's go see the city. Just be careful where you step, it is filled with heartless after all. I'd hate for you to get hurt while we're out there."

The two wandered around the city, occasionally running into heartless, but with the two of them together it was nothing they couldn't handle.

"Whew, this is turning out to be a nice workout, huh?" Thorn commented looking over at him.

"Yeah… the city is so big," Roxas murmured looking around at all the buildings.

"Tell me about it, even I haven't explored this place fully." She glanced around and noticed something peculiar. "Hey, Roxas, why don't you check out the creepy hotel over there? I'll meet up with you in a sec."

"Um… shouldn't we stick together?" Roxas asked looking uncertain.

"I'll only be a minute, I promise," Thorn told him gently pushing him towards the hotel. He looked back at her uncertainly but she pat his head lightly. "Don't worry, you're strong enough to keep yourself out of trouble long enough. I'll be right back."

Her reassuring words finally convinced him and he nodded before heading for the hotel. Once he was out of sight, Thorn turned and made a beeline for the strange occurrence. When she reached the right area, she found a small round portal with a green center. She looked all around her before attempting to touch it with her hand. Almost immediately she felt a pull from it drawing her in and quickly pulled it back out. "It must lead to another world," she thought looking it over. "Maybe I can use it as an emergency escape...though it would probably be best not to mention it to Axel...or anyone else for that matter." After looking it over for a few more minutes she decided she'd spent enough time there and went looking for Roxas again.

He was waiting for her in front of the tallest building of the city, just as she had directed him. He really was a good kid, she thought.

"Hey, Roxas," Thorn said when she came up to him. "Thanks for waiting."

"No problem," he said turning to look at her.

"Well, I think it's about time to head back," she said looking up at the sky, even though it gave no indication to the time passed.

"Already?" Roxas said sounding disappointed.

Thorn gave a small chuckle. "Hehe, you mean you actually enjoy spending time with me?"

"Of course I do," Roxas said earnestly.

"Hmm, maybe we should invite Axel to come along next time," Thorn suggested with a smile. "The guy could use some exercise with all that ice cream he eats."

Roxas gave a light laugh. "Haha, definitely."

Thorn cocked her head. It was the first time she'd heard him laugh. The kid was positively endearing. "Roxas, whatever you do… don't let anyone dictate who you are."

Roxas stared at her in confusion. "But… who am I suppose to be?"

"Well, that's up to you, really," Thorn told him, patting his shoulder. "I'm sure over time, you'll figure it out for yourself."

Thorn rubbed his head a bit as she led the way back toward the castle. It didn't take them long and soon they were walking through the entrance and heading towards the elevator room. When they reached it, they found someone waiting there for them. "Did you enjoy your excursion?" the cold voice of Saix asked as he took a step toward them. His face was calm and emotionless, but there was definitely the slightest sense of anger about him.

"Yeah, we toured all over the city, it was huge," Roxas replied with a smile of his own. Thorn looked to him and inwardly smiled. She was pleased with what Axel had taught him so far...he even learned to smile.

"We didn't have any troubles out there," she decided to speak up. "Roxas did a fantastic job and really seemed to enjoy himself.

"I see," Saix muttered looking between the two and noticing that Thorn's face was set and unchanging. "Roxas, return to the Gray Area. I'll be there in a few minutes." The boy looked between him and Thorn and gave her a nervous look before nodding and reluctantly leaving the room.

Once the boy was out of ear shot, Saix rounded on her. "What sort of game do you think this is?" he demanded venomously.

Thorn had the innate desire to take a step back from him but she held her ground. "I don't know what you're talking about," she said honestly. "All I did was…"

"You left the castle without permission," Saix stated severely. "Not only that, you were unsupervised."

"I was told I wasn't allowed to leave the castle without another member of the Organization," Thorn said gesturing to the place where Roxas disappeared. "He's a member, isn't he?"

"His mind is still unstable so he doesn't count," Saix retorted glaring at her.

"Look, it's not like I attempted to leave the world or anything, not like I can either, so I don't see why you're so threatened about our little outing," Thorn muttered crossing her arms in front of her. She really didn't understand why a man who swears up and down that he doesn't feel is now angrier than she'd ever seen him. Even his scar seemed to be expanding from his building anger.

She could have never predicted what came next as the blue haired NOBODY shot forward and grabbed her by her throat lifting her into the air. "I am not threatened, I do not feel anything," he hissed, the grip on her throat tightening as he spoke. "Even if I had a heart I would not be threatened by something so _weak_. Your usefulness is quickly being overshadowed by your blatant disrespect of me and the other higher members."

Thorn grabbed a hold of his wrist in an attempt to remove some of the pressure from her windpipe as her feet dangled in midair. She attempted to take in breath, but it was growing more difficult by the second.

"I will say this again, you will not leave this castle unless given permission AND accompanied by another coherent member. I will not allow you to do as you see fit any more. The next time will be a much harsher punishment."

Her vision was beginning to haze over and for a few terrifying moments she feared passing out from lack of oxygen, or worse. If she didn't do something soon… he might actually kill her, but if she fought against him, then what?

"SAIX!"

Thorn saw a blur of red and felt the grip her throat suddenly loosen. She crumpled to the floor, going on her hands and knees as she sucked in air, gasping and coughing as her wind pipe expanded back to its normal shape. Rubbing her sore throat, she looked up, blinking the water out of her eyes and saw Axel holding Saix against the wall by the front of his jacket.

"What the hell is wrong with you!?" Axel shouted, looking more furious than Thorn had ever seen him.

"I was merely teaching the heartseer a lesson in respect," Saix retorted, the lividness still evident in his voice.

Axel stared at him in disbelief. "Are you insane? You could have killed her!"

"I would not be so foolish as to allow her to perish," Saix replied his voice remaining the same. "At most she would have lost consciousness, a small price to pay for future obedience." Axel just scanned the eyes of his friend finding it hard to believe how little it mattered to him if she had been hurt. "Her ability is still useful so death will not come to her, however, she will learn her place even if I must force her to do so."

"Damn it, Saix, is this how you repay her after the promise she made to help?" Axel demanded pushing him harder to the wall.

Thorn panted from her spot on the floor trying to get enough air back into her lungs to get to her feet again. Her eyes darted to the two NOBODIES seemingly ready to fully fight each other.

This is exactly what she didn't want. As much as she hated Saix at the moment, she didn't want to step on the friendship he and Axel shared. Which is exactly what the blue haired Nobody thought she was doing. She was an unwelcome intruder to him.

"Look at you," Saix said, still glowering at the red head. "The way you cling to her… it's sickening." He took hold of Axel's hands and forcibly removed them from his coat. "Do not forget who it is who helped you time and time again."

Axel's face tightened, along with the fists that fell to his sides. "I haven't forgotten, and I've always been on your side, haven't I?"

"Until now you have," Saix acknowledged. "Just think your priorities over before you speak to me again." With that, he up and left Axel still steaming where he was and Thorn still panting on the floor.

The pair stayed where they were for several minutes before Thorn started struggling to get up on her feet. As she did so, Axel reached down to help her and she instinctively pulled away nearly falling over in the process. "I'm sorry, Axel. I...I didn't want to ruin your friendship with Saix," she said once she regained her balance. "It's my fault the two of you had that fight. All because I decided to tell him he was upset over me taking Roxas on a tour of the city. I'm really sorry."

"Hey, take it easy," Axel told her in a calming manner. "You didn't ruin anything. If anything, I'm the one who should be sorry." He folded his arms and shook his head unhappily. "I didn't think Saix would ever take things this far. He's usually not like this."

Thorn turned so that her back was facing him. "Maybe… we should just…"

She felt a hand touch her shoulder before she could finish. "Don't even think about starting that again," Axel said firmly. "I told you before, I'm not going to just abandon you. We'll work through this." Heck, maybe if she ended up finding Saix's heart the guy would finally come to his senses.

Thorn looked down at the floor but didn't brush him off again. "Axel...I don't think I can stay for much longer. If Saix is getting this antsy I'd hate to see what Xemnas and the others are like right now," she muttered feeling a large chill run down her spine.

"Like I said, we'll work through this," Axel told her pulling her into a hug. "You still have your ability that they want to use. As long as you can use that they won't hurt you."

"I hope you're right," she muttered darkly. Something told her it wasn't quite as simple as he made it out to be though.

As he held her, Axel got a terrible churning in his gut. Was this what it was like to worry about someone?

* * *

CM: Holy crap... SAIX ANGRY! He can be really scary when he wants to, huh? Well, with him getting so ticked off, who knows how much longer Thorn has, and who knows what Vexen is working on now. Can Axel really protect her? Guess we'll have to wait and see. :P


	33. Lost Hearts

**Chapter 33: Lost Hearts**

Later that night, Saix paid a visit to the labs. He was not surprised to find the scientist still at work. No doubt he was getting ready for the move to Castle Oblivion. A move which would be his last, Saix would make sure of it. However, as of now, Saix had a particular use for the scientist.

"Vexen," Saix said, announcing his presence. "I don't suppose you could spare a moment of your time."

"As always both your timing and your manners are deplorable," Vexen huffed as he carefully placed an armful of his instrument into a box. "I'm almost tempted to say you're as bad as the heartseer."

The muscles in Saix's face tightened at the mention of her. However, he kept his composure. "That is precisely why I am here. During our last meeting, you mentioned a machine you were working on. One which would render her current existence obsolete."

Vexen paused and turned to face him with a curious expression. "And you're interested in this why exactly?" he asked.

"Because her usefulness is quickly being overrun but her insufferable attitude," Saix answered. "And if it is possible to keep her ability without needing to deal with her then I'd say we'd be much better off."

"Indeed," Vexen agreed. "Well, I'm about halfway done making my little invention though the more recent experiments and the move have impeded my ability to complete it earlier. But when it's finished I should be able to utilize her ability simply by harvesting her heart and inserting it into the machine."

"You don't say…" Saix murmured, wondering if it could really be done. If so, then all their heartseer troubles would be over.

Vexen nodded eagerly. "Yes, and if we're extremely lucky we might even have an extra member added to the fold. "

The blue haired member shook his head. "That is of little significance." He'd just as soon NOT have her produce a Nobody capable of human form. That would only mean he, Saix would have to continue putting up with her. He doubted the loss of a heart would make any improvement on that insufferable attitude of hers. Not only that, Axel might continue to carry some delusions of attachment to her. No… she needed to disappear entirely.

"At any rate," Vexen said returning his attention to his tools. "Moving the machine would be pointless unless the heartseer is moved as well. I've attempted to convince Xemnas to allow me to take her with. However, he has yet to give me a clear yes or no."

"Then I shall try my hand at convincing him to allow your request," Saix stated calmly. He wanted to make sure that Thorn was gone, even if Vexen didn't get permission to finish his machine she'd be out of his hair for the time being. "Keep working on that invention of yours though, I am certain that soon you will have the chance to use it."

Vexen smiled at this excited about the prospect of using the invention he'd spent so much time on. "Then I'll make sure to pack those as well. I can't wait to see what you'll do to convince him of this."

Saix said nothing in reply and instead left the scientist to his packing. It may not take too much effort on his part. Xemnas only had to see her as a threat and she would be gone. He thought of Axel and prayed the red head would soon come to his senses.

* * *

"You've been decorating again I see," Demyx commented glancing around her bedroom.

They'd been having one of their annual jam sessions in his bedroom. It wasn't long until Xaldin came in and told the both of them to quiet down or he would make sure Demyx would be one of those leaving for Castle Oblivion. If nothing else than to bring peace to those who remained behind.

"Yeah, quick question. Why is Xaldin such a tight-ass?" Thorn asked him as she shut her door.

Demyx rubbed the back of his neck while using his sitar to lean on. "Beats me. The guy's always been grouchy." He got a silly grin on his face. "So you and Axel seem to be pretty tight, huh?"

"Uh...yeah I guess," Thorn answered keeping her face expressionless. "We are pretty good friends...more so than most anyone else here. Though you're up there as well."

"Heh, well thanks," Demyx laughed. "It's not like you guys spend every night together. Or hang out every chance you get. No you guys are just good friends." He grinned at her in a teasing manner understanding at least that there was more to their relationship than what they portrayed around everyone else.

"Okay, okay," Thorn sighed pushing his head to the side which just made him laugh a bit more. "But despite all that I still make sure to spend some time playing with you." As she spoke she headed over to her dresser and started rummaging through it. Talking about friends made her want to say hello to her old ones.

When she pulled out the music box and opened it, she was horrified at what she found… or didn't find. "No…" she whispered. "No… no… no No NO!" she began tearing through her drawers digging around. The hearts of her three friends had gone missing. As she searched for them, several crazy possibilities began flooding her mind. _"Did someone take them or… no, that couldn't be… did they fall out? They couldn't just walk away right?"_

Meanwhile poor Demyx was standing on the side wondering what in the world had gotten her so worked up all of the sudden. _"I guess Axel's right… girls really are complicated,"_ he thought in bemusement as he watched her.

"Hey, Thorn, you okay there?" he asked uncertainly. "Is it… THAT time or…?"

"Shoot! Where could they have gone?" She asked now in a panic.

"Where did what go?" Demyx asked trying to make sense of what she was doing and possibly help.

"They're just...all gone. All but...his," she muttered having not heard his question. Then after a few moments of complete silence she closed the music box and threw it into her pocket before dashing out the door. "Sorry, Demyx, I'll be right back...I just really need to talk to someone!" With that she disappeared down the hall leaving a bewildered Demyx standing clueless in her room.

She ran down hall after hall towards the Gray Area hoping to find Axel back from his mission. She was in luck when she reached it as Saix was nowhere to be found, but Axel and Roxas were just getting back. "Axel!" she called out rushing forward and grabbing his wrist. "I need to talk to you, now."

"Okay," he said looking rather perplexed by her urgency. "What about?"

"Alone," she said as she began dragging him from the room.

"Yikes... okay, okay, you don't have to pull so hard," Axel said matching her pace to keep his arm from being torn off. "Later, Roxas."

"Oh, right, hey Roxas!" Thorn called back to him and gave a wave. "Nice seeing you again."

He waved back, also looking very confused as the two disappeared from the room. Thorn didn't stop until they were far enough away and she felt it was safe.

"So what's got your cloak up in a bunch?" Axel asked her once she'd released his arm. He had to admit it was rather unsettling to see her so distressed.

She took a moment to search around the room before finally answering. "They're gone," she said with urgency. "They're all gone! Well, all but yours but there's no way they could have left on their own!" She pulled out the music box to show him. "I don't know how they're gone but they just are. I think you should take yours...there's no telling what might happen to your heart if you don't take it. I'd really hate for you to lose it again."

Axel looked at her and then at the heart she was presenting to him. He was as confused as she was about how the others disappeared but he also was worried about whether or not he'd ever have the chance to take it back. With this thought going through his head, he started reaching for it, but he suddenly stopped and then pushed the box back towards the goth girl.

"Thorn, I can't. Just keep holding onto it for me."

"But…" she looked down at it, seeing the laughing face of the person he once was.

Axel reached out, taking her hand and using it to close the music box, shutting his heart inside of it. "I can't turn on the Organization." Not now anyway. Saix still needed him, and now, so did the new kid, Roxas. "I know you'll take good care of it for me. And hey… even if it does end up getting lost, you can just find it again, right?"

"You're being waaaaaaaay too optimistic about this," Thorn said, her head drooping with exasperation. "Look at how long it took me to find it in the first place."

The flame wielder shook his head. "Sorry, but that's my final answer."

The goth girl sighed heavily but decided to respect his wishes and returned the music box in her pocket where it would stay. She would not let that thing out of her sight if that's what it took.

"Okay then," she answered trying not to show her apprehension. "So, since it's kind of late I guess we should get some sleep, right?"

"Yeah...I think you could use a rest," he agreed wrapping an arm around her shoulder. "Maybe we can have a bit of fun as well." He rubbed her back as he spoke kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Don't worry about the heart though, it'll all work out."

Thorn really hoped so, and she tried not to let her gloom show as she went with him to his room. She couldn't help but think of Zell, Zidane, and Irvine. After all those months of searching for them and finally finding them, they were gone. All her hard work for nothing. She stripped off the cloak, but it did nothing to lessen the weight of despair on her shoulders.

_"Yikes… she is really hung up over this,"_ Axel thought studying her closely.

He supposed he couldn't blame her. She did just lose the hearts of her three friends. How strange that his was the only one left behind. Well, he wasn't about to speculate on it. He had absolutely nothing to go on.

_"There's gotta be a way to cheer her up,"_ he pondered, watching as she bent over to remove her shoes.

On a whim he decided to try something just to see what would happen. So, while she was still bent over, he reached out and smacked her hard on the butt. Instantly she shot up into a standing position with a hand over her rear, letting loose an unusual sound.

"What was that!" she demanded turning to face him.

"Heh...you just squeaked," the red head said trying to hold back a laugh. "You just squeaked. You seriously just squeaked."

"Shut up," Thorn ordered, her cheeks turning the slightest bit pink. "Don't ever do that again."

"Don't be like that," Axel chuckled finding it hard to hold back. "You liked it."

"I did not."

"Yeah you did...you're smiling about it."

"I am not."

Thorn turned her back on him and continued to undress. Big mistake.

"Really?" Axel grinned impishly before reaching down and giving her rear a pinch. She jumped forward, once again eliciting a high pitched noise. He couldn't help himself. He laughed, finding it to be just too amusing.

Thorn glared at him. "Axel…" she growled. But for all her efforts to being upset with him, he could see the corner's of her mouth twitching into a reluctant smile.

He stepped forward and let his arms go around her so his hands were resting on her butt. Then he began pinching again, this time holding her in place so she wouldn't be able to stop him. "A-Axel! St...huh...stop it!" Thorn tried ordering, but there was the slightest bit of laughter in her voice as she spoke.

"If you really want me to stop, then show me you don't want it," he chuckled making sure to keep his hold on her tight.

"I...don't want..." she started finding it really hard to talk when every few seconds she let out another squeak.

"No...words aren't enough," Axel told her seriously. "You've got to SHOW me you don't want it."

She started struggling again, but not nearly hard enough to actually break free. She even tried taking a step back, but only found bed behind her and started to fall. Axel allowed her momentum to pull them both onto the bed where he managed to stay on top of her, his hands still pinching at her bottom.

Thorn began to twist and squirm, squealing each time her rump was assaulted. It didn't help when he moved onto pinching other places and started tickling her. She laughed as she continued to fight against his control. He was really good at keeping her in place, readjusting his hold each time she almost got away. After a few minutes she at last managed to wriggle free and backed herself up against the headboard, panting heavily and eying him with a rather ferocious stare, as though daring him to come try it again.

Axel released once last chuckle before he moved towards her in a non-threatening manner. "Alright, I'll stop for the night."

Thorn kept on guard, clearly not trusting him on that account. "How can I believe that?"

He smirked and made an invisible X over the left side of his chest with his hand. "Cross my heart?"

"Very funny," Thorn muttered giving him a playful kick. "You know full well your heart isn't there."

"Yeah I know," Axel laughed pulling himself up so he was now lying beside her. "I really do mean it though. I was just looking for a way to cheer you up."

"Really?" He nodded and Thorn laid down fully, her head resting against his chest like usual. "Okay then. Thanks for trying to help."

"Well, it's not like I could leave you in that state now could I," Axel pointed out. "Also...I was just having a little too much fun listening to you squeak."

Thorn playfully punched his gut which was closest to her fist. "I don't care how much you were enjoying it, don't do it again," she ordered, though her mouth remained in a smile.

"I'll consider it when you stop liking it so much," Axel returned, whilst wrapping his arm around her.

Thorn grunted but she really couldn't rebuff his statement. As strange and odd as it was… she had, maybe just a little… aw hell, she did like it. She wondered what other weird, kinky stuff she was into, or what Axel was willing to accommodate her with.

_'Mind out of the gutter, Thorn,'_ she thought fiercely. As nice as it was to think about, she didn't feel like tempting him tonight when he'd gone out of his way to make her feel better.

As she lay silently with him, she thought about the dream she had of him and Saix… or rather Lea and Isa right before they become Axel and Saix.

_'I should tell him,'_ she thought, even though she knew it might kill the wonderful mood he'd set. _'He has a right to know. It's his memory after all.'_

She took a moment and pushed herself far enough away to look in him the eye. "Axel...there's something I should really tell you," she murmured. She could see his expression tighten for a moment as he noticed the sudden change in atmosphere. "Remember that night I woke up with a start?" He nodded. "Well...it was because I had another dream about you and Isa. It was the night you both lost your hearts." She really didn't want to bring it up but she knew he needed to know and with the way things had been going the past few days she wasn't sure if she'd ever get the chance to again.

"How much of it did you see?" he asked seriously.

"All of it I think," she mumbled. "Well...at least all of what would have been in your memory. It all came from your view point after all."

Axel's eyes drifted up to the ceiling as if deep in thought. She wondered if he was seeing it now as clearly as she did. "Sorry you had to see that."

"Honestly…" she said slowly. "I'm really not."

Axel turned his head to look at her questioningly. Thorn thought for a moment. "Well, I got to see what kind of people you were, you and Saix both. I saw how Saix protected you, and I thought it was really amazing. The friendship you guys share reminds me of the kind I share with my three friends back home."

Axel smiled a little. "Yeah… we were pretty tight back then."

Thorn nodded."Which is why I'm gonna keep looking for Saix's heart." At Axel's surprised expression she added, "Don't get me wrong, I… I won't lie, I hate him right now. During nearly all of my stay here he's been a jerk to me. And if it came down to it I would fight him." Really, it was for Axel's sake more than Saix's she was doing this for. She knew it, and he probably did too. She wanted him to have back the friend he once held near and dear.

Axel stared guiltily at the bruises on her neck, the ones his 'best friend' had caused.

She noticed where his eyes had gone and shook her head. "It wasn't your fault you know," she murmured snuggling into him again. "Although at the time I didn't think it possible, I might have said something that pushed him over that edge."

"No, it isn't your fault either," Axel pointed out. "Even if you did manage to upset him he took it way too far. As of right now you're still needed but he still risked killing you to tell you off. I honestly never thought he'd go that far for any reason."

"Like I said," Thorn told him, snuggling closer to him in order to hide her throat from his view. "I'm willing to let all of it slide."

"Well, that's very big of you," Axel commended, rubbing her arm. He certainly didn't think he could ever be so forgiving.

"Hmm, you know though," Thorn said with a soft smile, deciding to change the tone of the atmosphere once more. "Saix was pretty good looking without that scar."

"Now don't start that again," Axel ordered playfully poking her in the back. "He may be my best friend, but you're mine, got it memorized?"

"Are you jealous of his good looks?" she asked in an innocent voice.

"No, but if you don't cut it out I'll just have to start going back to this," Axel threatened pinching her rear once more.

"Ack, hey you promised no more for tonight!" she exclaimed squirming in his grasp.

"I did...but that became null the moment you started bringing him up again," Axel pointed out, pinching her again.

"Well I found one thing that gets to you and I refuse to let up until you submit," Thorn declared.

"That so?" Axel got a dominating flare in his eyes and he immediately switched tactics. His hands knowingly went to one of her sweet spots and began caressing it in a rather forceful manner.

Thorn groaned and her body tightened. "N-no fair…" She attempted to pull away, but he wasn't letting her go anywhere.

"So what was that you were saying about my buddy?" Axel asked her with a vindictive smile.

"I-I ssssaid…" Thorn trembled as his other hand went under her shirt. She was not going to give in. She was NOT going to lose this time. "I said… he was…" she looked him dead in the eye and flashed him a sultry smile. "Sssssexy."

The hand down below suddenly sped up making Thorn arch her back and gasp for air. "Who's sexy?" he asked slowing back down enough to allow her to answer as he began kissing the bare skin that was visible.

"S-Sa..." Thorn tried to say again only to lose her voice this time as he increased his administrations.

"Sorry, I didn't hear it."

"Uh...S-S..." She was finding it near impossible to say anything as he kept going. He whispered a question for her to say it. After a moment longer she gave way and muttered. "Y-you."

"That's what I thought you said," Axel replied in satisfaction before removing his hand and placing it back around her waist.

Thorn took a moment to get her wits about her before looking at him reproachfully. "You know… you can be really malicious at times."

"I guess I'm just a selfish guy," he said, shrugging off her comment. "And as I said, it's fun watching you squirm."

"Sadist," Thorn murmured. Not selfish though… far from it. If anyone was selfish, it was her.

"That must make you a masochist then," he commented in amusement.

She laughed softly, resting her head in the curve of his shoulder. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Thorn closed her eyes, bathing in the scent and feel of him. She had grown so accustomed to him, she feared she'd started taking him for granted, just like those three. Now, however, with the threat of her ceasing to be useful, she did all she could to burn this memory of him into her brain. She never wanted to forget. Not ever.

"Axel," she whispered softly, wondering if he'd fallen asleep in the stretch of silence.

His grip on her tightened a margin, indicating he was still awake. "Yeah, what's up?"

"I…" Her heart hammered in her chest. Oh… geez… should she? "I… lo…" Dammit… she couldn't do it.

"What is it?" he asked, sounding a little worried now.

"I… look forward to kicking your butt in our next sparring match," she said in good humor, covering up any traces of the alternate message. No way was she going to drop that bomb. Not now.

"Hah...we'll just have to see," Axel chuckled lightly holding her tight. "We won't be able to till I get back from my mission though."

"That's okay, I'm sure Vexen will keep me busy until then," Thorn assured him. "I'll be able to wait."

He squeezed her at this thinking about her Vexen comment and a sense of foreboding came over him that he quickly dismissed. Something had made him feel like this would be the last night he'd be able to hold her like this and he refused to believe it. He stayed awake for awhile longer as Thorn slowly nodded off in his embrace and he silently made a promise that he'd finish his mission faster than ever before...just in case.

* * *

It was late at night when Saix received the summons. Whatever it was, it must have been urgent for the leader to call a meeting at such an hour. When he arrived and saw the few present, he immediately knew the focal point of the conference. What had she done this time?

"Xigbar claims to have made an interesting discovery about our guest," Xemnas declared, immediately kicking off the procession. "Something that merits our immediate attention."

"I figured you'd all like to know that Angelface found one of the member's hearts," Xigbar stated. His words caused the other three to go into a tense silence for several moments.

Finally, Vexen was the one to break the silence. "Who's heart, or did she not say?" he asked thoroughly intrigued.

"By the sound of it, it was Flamsilock's," Xigbar answered looking pointedly at Saix.

She'd actually found it, she'd found Axel's heart...which meant finding his was just as possible. But Saix immediately pushed these thoughts to the back of his mind. There was no way he'd allow her to stick around any longer now. With her ability his heart could be found...but what might happen if Axel took his heart back while the two of them were as close as this. He wasn't about to allow her to try.

"This is a problem," Xemnas muttered after a few moments. "Our goals will not be reached if she is removing our members by returning their hearts." He turned to Vexen and pointed authoritatively at him. "That machine you mentioned before...how quickly can it be finished?"

"I can have it done and ready to host a heart in a week," Vexen answered as a smile spread across his face.

Xemnas nodded in approval before looking to Xigbar again. "Did the heartseer attempt to rejoin Axel back with his heart?"

"Tried, yeah," Xigbar answered with a grin. "For whatever reason, our boy declined her offer."

"A wise decision on his part," Xemnas stated somberly.

Saix entirely agreed with this declaration. Whatever delusions this girl had placed him under, he at least was keeping their goal first and foremost. He felt somewhat lighter… as though a strange pressure had been alleviated. He shook his head. How bothersome.

"Saix."

The blue haired member's yellow gaze met the leader's.

"I'd rather her move be done as quietly as possible… and without interference."

Saix inclined his head. "I'll ensure everyone has been sent on their way before we ensure her detainment."

"Good, I'd hate to have dissention in the ranks over something so trivial," Xemnas stated nodding his approval. "No one outside of this group is to know what will become of our dear heartseer."

The others nodded all with varying degrees of pleasure showing on their faces. Xigbar showing the most obvious excitement at the prospect. "So...if she decides to fight back...we've got permission to really drive the point home she ain't got a chance?"

"Yes, use any means necessary to render her helpless," Xemnas affirmed. "We will not tolerate her selfish notions any longer."

* * *

CM: Dun dun dun... crap. It looks like her warm welcome has just run out. Well, not to worry, we won't leave you on such a sour note. Here's something for your enjoyment. :) Be sure to leave a review.

* * *

**After chapter funny**

"Thorn!"

Thorn and Axel looked up from his bed bed to see Demyx come through a portal. He looked like he'd just got done with a marathon. "There you are," Demyx panted, nearly folding in half from exertion. "I looked all over for you. I was freaking out cuz you just up and disappeared… but you just skipped out on our jam time to do naughty stuff with Axel, huh?"

Thorn's face flushed pink. "No, that wasn't it at all!"

"Hey you," Axel said getting up and locking his arm around the boy's neck. "What have I told you about coming into my room uninvited?"

"I was just...trying to make sure Thorn...was okay..." Demyx panted fighting against the hold Axel had on him. "It's not like...you have...complete control over her."

"Actually...you'd be surprised," Axel said with a grin. "Now get out...you're irritating and you have horrible timing."

"Hah! I knew it...you guys are being naughty!" the boy exclaimed breaking out of Axel's grip. "I knew you weren't just friends. There's no way that would be it since you always spend every moment you can with each other."

Thorn was sure her face was candy apple red by how hot it felt. Of all times for Demyx to see her. This was worse than the time he walked in on her crying. "Demyx… please, just don't say anything to anyone, okay?"

"Hmm, how much is my silence worth to you both?" Demyx asked with a rather mischievous grin.

"How about me NOT setting your cloak on fire?" Axel said warningly, grabbing the kid by the scruff of the neck.

"Thorn! Axel's bullying me!" Demyx whined.

Freakin hell, it was damn near like being back at home, Thorn thought in exasperation. "Let him go, Axel," Thorn muttered rubbing her head. She decided to humor Demyx for the moment. "What is it you want, Demyx?"

Demyx glanced between her and Axel before grinning, nearly all his teeth showing. "I want a kiss."

"You're not my type," Axel muttered, shoving the guy away from him. "Now get out."

"Not you!" Demyx muttered with a frown. "From Thorn."

"Ain't happenin' either," Axel declared spinning him around and shoving him toward the door.

"Fine, then I'll just let Zexion know...or maybe Luxord. He'd probably find it amusing," Demyx threatened while fighting against Axel's pushing hands.

"You won't be able to say two words before I'd..."

"Axel, let him go," Thorn called out shaking her head. It was more like home than she'd ever thought possible. "Just one kiss, Demyx?"

"Yeah, just one," Demyx confirmed before dodging past Axel and running over to the bed where Thorn was throwing her legs over the edge.

"Well...alright then," Thorn agreed giving him as smoldering a smile as she could muster. He blinked a few times while she motioned for him to bend over. He did so and she took his face in both her hands making his cheeks turn pink before planting a kiss on his forehead. "There...now you won't go telling anyone right?"

Demyx pouted a little, and for an instant he almost looked like a puppy. "That's… not what I meant…"

"Then you should have been more specific," she said with a smile before tapping him on the nose. "You did promise though."

The water user gave a disappointed sigh but he nodded. "Yeah, okay. I won't say anything."

"Good," she said letting go of his face. "You better go before Axel decides to lose it over there. We'll pick up where we left off tomorrow, okay?"

"Alright," Demyx agreed. Instead of using the door he opened a portal and stuck his tongue out at Axel before hopping in.

As the dark hole was closing Axel sent a fire ball inside and there was a yelp of panic before the portal closed completely.

Thorn began to laugh. "You two are a riot," she commented with a smile.

"You really didn't have to indulge him you know," Axel pointed out as he came back to the bed with a frown.

"Awe, what's the matter? Are you jealous?" she teased finding his display rather amusing. "It was just on the forehead...it's not like I really kissed him like I do you."

"I know," he said, settling his weight onto the mattress. "It still bugs me though. I think it's more the fact he was trying to extort it out of you than anything."

"Please… he's too much of a goofball for something like that," Thorn refuted, lying back down into the pillows. "I honestly doubt he would have said anything either way, but saying no to him would have been like kicking a puppy."

"You know...for all your dark and seemingly uncaring attitude you're too soft," Axel sighed wrapping around her once more. "You really shouldn't encourage him. He'll get the idea that he can do whatever he wants."

"Oh please, I know how to handle guys like that," Thorn told him. "Zell and Zidane were pretty similar."

She looked up at him and smiled once more, tracing a finger over her own mouth. "These lips are yours and yours alone."

Axel couldn't resist a smile himself as he leaned over and kissed those lips. "Not just those," he whispered, rubbing a hand down her body and then up again. "All of you."

Thorn nodded. "So long as the same applies to you for me." She didn't want any other girl laying her hands or lips on any part of him.

"Deal," Axel whispered kissing her again.


	34. Heart Betrayed

**Chapter 34: Heart Betrayed**

The next morning Axel woke up on the early side. He'd had trouble sleeping all night and was tired, but he forced himself awake. Carefully he got out of bed so as not to awake the sleeping girl in his bed and got ready for the day. When he came back to the bed he wasn't surprised to find Thorn still snoozing soundly. He went over to her and gently shook her shoulder.

Grey eyes opened reluctantly and stared blearily up at him. "Mmm… morning already?" she asked with a yawn.

"Nah, I'm heading out early today," Axel told her with a smile. "After your done today, would you like to join me and Roxas to get ice cream?"

Thorn smiled faintly a nodded. "I'd like that."

He nodded and leaned down to kiss her temple. That feeling of dread was coming back again, and he felt like he should say more. Instead he stood up and left the room.

'It's just like any other day,' he thought to himself.

Wanting to make it a quick trip, Axel hurried to the Gray Area where he received his mission assignment from Saix and headed out. He knew it was earlier than usual but he felt the need to get the day's mission over with as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, Thorn was slowly pulling herself out of bed and heading to the lab after putting her coat back on. She really didn't want to go, but thoughts of ice cream with Axel and Roxas helped keep her from attempting to just skip out on the session for the day.

When she reached the lab, Vexen was already prepared for the day and gave her the order to take her regular seat so he could get started. Something about the way he was acting and the level of his joy made her feel a little unnerved. She pushed the idea to the back of her mind though as she was used to being creeped out by him.

Thorn took her place in the chair waiting for him to start hooking her up to the blasted machine. As she waited she could not shake the itchy feeling she was getting, and it only became worse when Vexen drew near her.

He began attaching the wires to her as per usual, and for a few minutes Thorn tried to make herself relax. She couldn't figure why she was so on edge today. Then again, after recent events, why wouldn't she be just a little jumpy? As Vexen finished getting her all set up, she noticed he didn't immediately move away from her. When she glanced over, she saw something in his hand… something that she was sure didn't bode well for her.

Without thinking, she summoned her magic. "STOP!"

The spell activated and Thorn found herself cringing away from what appeared to be a syringe Vexen had been about to stab into her arm. Lord knows what the hell was in it. Thorn's heart rate picked up and she realized… she truly was no longer safe here. She needed to leave. RIGHT NOW.

She jumped to her feet and tore the connections off of herself as she did so. "Frankly, I've been wanting to see you frozen in place for a long time," she said to him as clearly and calmly as she could manage. "I'm just sorry I can't stick around to enjoy your silence."

With that she dashed to the door throwing it open only to come face to face with another unfriendly member. "Going somewhere?" Saix asked coldly as he stared down at her. She had to admit...her luck severely sucked.

"Yep, it's called getting a little fresh air, someplace else," she replied firmly. "You can't keep me here."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Saix muttered. Before he could move towards her though, she threw open a portal and dove in charging down the path of darkness as quickly as she could.

When the portal closed behind her she took a moment to think up a plan of action. Her instincts were to immediately head for the weird portal she found in the city outside the castle. She wondered how much time she had. Damn… all her stuff was still in her room… It couldn't be helped though. She couldn't risk going there. More than likely they might have something set up for her if she did decide to go back and get her stuff. Besides, she had the only really important thing already in her pocket. Axel's heart. No way was she going to let any of them get their hands on it.

As she readied herself to continue on a hint of swift movement caused her to duck. A dusk went whizzing right over her, its intentions clear. It wasn't the only one. Thorn glanced around in horror as several dusks began filling the corridor of darkness, surrounding her.

You've got to be kidding me!" she shouted, jumping and dodging to avoid the attacks. Having no other choice, she fled the corridor of darkness and emerged into one of the upper chambers of The Castle That Never Was. She would just have to make the trek on foot.

"I was hoping to avoid something like this," she thought dashing through the corridors as fast as she could without using her magic. She wasn't sure how long she could stay out of reach and didn't want to waste her power. She had the right idea and shortly afterwards she ran almost headlong into Xigbar who was leaning casually against a nearby wall. "What's your hurry, Angelface? We'd love it if you stuck around for a few more days. There's still plenty of hospitality we want to extend to you," he joked grinning at her through his eye patch.

"Love...right, well I'd "love" to stay but can't as I'm allergic to emotionless hospitality,"

"Heh, look at you acting all high and mighty," he said pushing himself off the wall and began approaching her. "Don't you know that around here naughty girls get punished?"

Oh geez, coming from him that was just… too weird. She backed away from him but got the sense something was behind her. Sure enough as she glanced around more lesser Nobodies were sneaking up from behind. They were different from the Dusks, but she doubted they were any less dangerous.

"Why don't you just make this easy on yourself and give up? "Xigbar suggested.

"Why don't you guy make it easier on yourselves and let me go?" she countered, keeping herself on guard in case of a sudden attack from either side.

He scoffed. "Pfft, as if. You're only ticket out of this place is a one way trip to Castle Oblivion." He summoned his weapons, pointing one of the pistols at her. "But if you insist on being stubborn, I'll just have to get a little rough with ya."

"Tch." Thorn didn't want to have a full on fight, not if she could help it at least. So when Xigbar fired, she dove underneath it before using a mix of her water and fire magic to create a cloud of steam shielding her from view. By the time he got around it she was gone.

"Heh, slippery little angel," he chuckled. "Oh, this is going to be loads of fun."

* * *

"That was close," Thorn panted as she leaned against a wall a floor or two below where she'd run into the gun gloating NOBODY. She'd seen him fight before and knew that dealing with him directly would have been very difficult and by the time she finished with him, Saix and Vexen would have arrived. "Damn it," she muttered to herself. "If I'd have left just a few days sooner I wouldn't be dealing with this right now."

But then she would have missed out on a lot… not just time spent with Axel, but with the others too. She shook her head. No time to worry about would haves or should haves. She needed to keep moving. Thorn entered the Hall of Empty Melodies. The very same room she'd witnessed Roxas's combat training. Beyond that would be Twilight's View. Then she could board the elevator that would take her to the entrance. She was nearly there.

As she headed to the door, she felt another presence appear as well as an attack coming straight at her. She hurled herself to the side and even still she was buffeted by a blast of cold air. Once she'd gotten proper footing, she saw a path of ice blazing through where she'd stood moments before. Following the path, she found Vexen standing their holding a blue crystalline shield.

"You're not leaving just yet," Vexen told her in his higher than thou voice that pissed her off to no end. "I still have plenty of use for you."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Thorn spat as she headed for the exit once more. However her path was blocked when a rain of darts blocked her path.

She looked up and there on the balcony was Xigbar, grinning like it was Christmas come early. "Miss me, Angelface?"

Guh… not hardly.

"This little game of hide and seek is over." A colder voice spoke and Saix emerged from the exit she'd just been about to charge through. Summoning a large claymore, he easily sliced through the barrier Xigbar had created.

Holy crap, Thorn thought, eying the weapon. She did NOT want to get hit with that. She backed up and glanced around quickly seeing she was surrounded. Great. Just terrific.

"You will cooperate with us," Saix said commandingly, not lowering his weapon. "Or you will be beaten into submission."

"I like my third option. I don't go with you and I beat the crap out of all three of you," Thorn answered reaching up toward her cloak zipper.

"Ha, the angel thinks she can beat us," Xigbar laughed. "Are you sure you can beat all three of us? Sounds like someone's gained a bit too much confidence. Should be fun though."

"Just don't kill her," Vexen declared brandishing his shield. "I still need her alive."

"As long as she cooperates she won't have to," Saix declared.

"Wow...you boys really don't get it do you," Thorn laughed pulling her cloak off and tossing it aside, revealing her arms and back covered in tattoos. She reached her right hand towards her back as she continued to speak. "Let me give you some friendly advice. Don't ever underestimate a mage...especially one that's studied under Yensid." Then all at once she grasped onto something as the tattoo vines around her wrists and arms began to unravel. At the same time, she pulled something from her back, revealing it to be the sword that used to rest as a tattoo amidst the wrapping vines.

* * *

_Thorn fell to her knees, feeling completely drained. Whatever had just been done to her had sapped her of all her strength._

_"It is done," the husky voice of her teacher proclaimed. "From now on, until you've reached the point of true mage hood, you will bear this seal."_

_Thorn stared down at her arms. The tattoos of thorn covered vines wrapping around her pale skin and ending at the wrist now carrying some strange enchantment. "Madam Lulu," she murmured weakly, looking up into the dark brown eyes of the woman she so admired. "I still don't understand, why can't I just be allowed to use my full potential?"_

_"A mage must grow into her abilities," Lulu explained to her, walking around so she stood in front of her pupil. "Otherwise, one's magic could easily spiral out of control. Even if such did not occur, the body cannot take on what it has yet to be trained for. This seal will restrict your innate powers and allow you to grow into them."_

_"I see," Thorn said looking down at her arms again. "I understand, Madam."_

_"One more thing," Lulu said getting her full attention once more. "You are to never release this seal, unless it is a situation of life and death. Doing so otherwise will result in immediate banishment of the magic arts. Do I make myself clear?"_

_"Yes, ma'am," Thorn promised._

* * *

"I know I promised never to do this...but without it, I can't win," she thought as she brandished the sword in front of her and her vines moved about her body like a sinewy barrier. "Now, come! I want to get this over with so I can get out of this dump."

"Don't worry Angelface, we'll end it fast enough for ya," Xigbar laughed twirling his guns in his hands. "Though I'm going to make sure I get at least a little bit of fun before then."

"Alright that's it," Thorn grumbled pointing her sword at the pepper haired man. "You're first you annoying bastard."

* * *

The Gray Area was empty when Axel returned, and although he didn't expect Thorn to be present because he got back so early, he did expect to at least see Saix. He was contemplating sending out a Dusk to find out where everyone was when a soft nervous sound reached his ears. He marched over to the couch where the sound had come from and sighed when he noticed who was there. "You didn't leave your mission early again did you, Demyx?" he asked in irritation.

"No of course not!" he exclaimed hopping to his feet. "Well...maybe, but that's not why I was hiding."

"Then why are you hiding?"

"Because ever since I got back a minute ago I kept hearing these explosions and thought staying in here would be safer."

"Explosions? From where? Do you even know why?"

"No...there was no way I was going out there."

Axel was starting to get that strange twisting in his gut again as he headed for the door without waiting for the rest of Demyx's statement. The moment he pulled the door open he spotted someone coming down the hallway at a fast pace. "Zexion, where's Thorn?" he asked casually as a loud bang sounded through the castle accompanied by the ground slightly shaking. "And what the hell was that?"

Thorn is down in the Hall of Empty Melodies, along with Saix, Vexen and Xigbar," Zexion answered calmly. "As for what you just sensed, those are the latter three's attempts to subdue her."

The red head stared at him incredulously. What the hell had been going on in the short time he was gone? "Subdue her? What for?"

Zexion shook his head, a silent statement that he did not know. "I'd just as soon not get involved."

Axel rolled his eyes and sighed impatiently before heading down to the hall.

Surprisingly enough, Demyx was on his tail. "Axel, you don't think Thorn's in trouble do you?"

The fire wielder didn't answer him, but instead hurried to where the noise was coming from. The explosions and shaking grew louder the closer they got. When they came to the room and peered over the balcony both were floored by what they saw. The entire room was in shambles; scorch marks, broken walls and ceilings, chunks of ice, the place was a huge mess.

However the bigger surprise was Thorn holding her own against the three Nobodies. She looked exhausted, but the three of them didn't look much better off.

Vexen was lying on the floor near the far wall and Xigbar was trying to push himself into a standing position and failing while Saix stood in the middle panting heavily with his sword tip resting on the floor. Thorn was also in the middle of the room, panting heavily while what looked like vines wove their way around her while a sword rested in her hand. It took him a moment to realize her two materialized weapons were her tattoos but when he did, her words at the time he had first seen them rang through his ear.

_"You like them now...wait till you see what they can do."_

As he stood there with Demyx dumbfounded at the scene before him, he watched her raise the sword into the air as something began gathering at the tip. "It's time...I'll finally put an end to this," she muttered as the gathering mass grew larger and larger. Then when the mass was larger than a beach ball, she moved to throw it at the Nobodies but it suddenly convulsed and exploded over her head.

The following shockwave was enormous and Axel and Demyx had to hit the floor in order to avoid being knocked over. For several seconds the air was filled with dust and blinding light and it felt as though the room might give into the pressure and just cave in on itself. However, after several moments the tremors passed, the light died, and the dust settled.

"Wh-what was that?!" Demyx exclaimed, popping his head back up to glance over the balcony ledge. "What just happened?"

Axel once again didn't answer, because he himself wasn't entirely sure. He could only guess that last attack on Thorn's part wasn't supposed to go like that. He peered down at the floor below to find Xigbar and Saix face down, having been knocked clear across the room. Thorn was on her back. She was bleeding from a spot on her temple which had been struck against a chunk of debris. His first instinct was to go to her, get her as far away as possible, and then find someplace where she could get treatment.

Instead he stood frozen, watching her, gripping the railing tightly. She was lying so still…

Then her body twitched and her eyes flickered open. She slowly sat up, looking more than a little disoriented.

"Thorn!" Demyx shouted and made to go down the stairs to help her.

Axel swiftly grabbed him by the shoulder and pulled him back. "You stay put," he told the sitar player firmly before descending the stairs himself.

As Thorn sat up, she gingerly put a hand to her head where she was bleeding and tried to stem the flow. Then after several deep breaths she shoved herself back onto her feet and looked around at the three NOBODYS lying on the ground. "Shit, I was supposed to have more than...this when it was over," she muttered limping her way towards the door. "I...have to...get out." She paused when she saw a splotch of red heading her way. "Axel... "

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked as a smile spread across his face. It was rather unnatural looking and gave Thorn the shivers. Moments later, he was behind her and wrapped one arm around her throat in a headlock. "You ain't leaving just yet, got it memorized?"

Thorn almost gagged when her air passage was impeded by Axel's arm and she struggled. "Axel…" she gasped hoarsely. "Let… let me go."

"I don't think so," he said, readjusting his hold and tightening the grip on her throat. "Now behave, you've already caused enough trouble as it is." Axel turned his head to look over at Saix who was starting to come to. "Hey, Saix, you okay over there? You must be slipping if this girl gave you THAT much trouble."

Thorn could feel panic and sadness welling up inside her, threatening to choke her. He said he would protect her. He promised. So then… "Why?" she asked croakily. "Why… Axel?"

She felt rather than heard him chuckle, since he held her so tightly against him. "Sorry, Thorn, but saving you isn't exactly in my best interest. Besides, I already said it before: I can't turn on the Organization."

Thorn bit her lips, forcing back the tears that wanted to build.

By this time Saix had gotten to his feet. He looked fatigued, but his eyes were sharp with animosity.

"Give her here," he ordered as he slowly approached the pair.

Thorn inwardly prayed that he wouldn't, but it was shattered when he shoved her forward letting go of her throat as he did so. She stumbled slightly but stopped herself from falling only to have a hand land hard against the base of her neck causing her world to go dark as she collapsed to the ground. By this time, Xigbar and Vexen were coming to as well and gingerly returning to their feet.

"Phew, she put up quite the fight," Xigbar laughed coming up to the small group gathered in the center. "I knew that fight was going to be fun, but I had no idea she'd pack such a punch."

"Silence, Xigbar," Saix ordered, keeping his narrowed eyes on Axel. "Take her down to the labs. We'll deal with her there."

"Yeah, yeah I gotcha," Xigbar replied as he lifted the unconscious mage onto his shoulder and started walking away.

"Wait! What's gonna happen to Thorn?" Demyx shouted as he ran to join the group. "She's gonna be okay right?"

Saix sent a glare the boy's way and he cringed back as though he'd been smacked by the older Nobody's show of anger. "I suggest if you do not wish to fall into the same predicament as her you will cease your jabbering and get back to your mission."

Demyx looked absolutely miserable but didn't dare test Saix further and quickly left the room. Vexen left with Xigbar and at last it was just the two of them alone.

Saix once more looked at Axel whose expression was impossible to decipher. "Well, looks like the Dusks are gonna be pretty busy the next fews days," the red head commented, his eyes sweeping over the mess of the room before returning to his friend. "You alright?"

"I'm perfectly fine," Saix retorted irritably. "I wasn't about to allow myself to be bested by that witch."

"Heh, right," Axel said with a compliant smile. "So, mind telling me what all that was about?"

Saix's jaw tightened a margine at the question but he did give an answer. "We gave her the order that she'd be joining Vexen and the others in Castle Oblivion," he explained. "She resisted and we subdued."

"Huh, never pegged her to be the type to attack you guys out of nowhere just because she didn't want to go," Axel replied shaking his head. "Sorry man. Hey, let's get you cleaned up so you ain't fallin over when the leader comes through here."

Saix studied Axel's face, searching for a flicker of abnormality. Yet he could find none. Oddly enough, he found that in itself to be abnormal. "What caused you to change your mind?"

Axel looked down at the floor for a moment, scratching at his hair, one of his oldest habits. "Well, I thought about what you said, and you're right. My priorities weren't where they should have been. Today especially has shown me that much." Axel's green eyes came up to meet Saix's yellow ones. "She doesn't belong here. She never did."

Saix's face remained hard as he looked at his friend...but his body seemed to relax a bit as he nodded. "No, she never did." He turned and began walking away having a slight limp that he tried to hide. "Let's go, the leader will want to hear about what happened and I'm sure your young companion will want someone to talk to."

Axel nodded and left the room with Saix, as though it was just another typical day.

* * *

Zexion stiffened when a low moan echoed off the walls of the lab. He sighed softly and carefully placed the equipment he'd been handling into a packing box before going into the next room. Thorn was lying on the observation table, her wrists and ankles fastened down. Her eyes were squeezed shut in agony and sweat beaded her flushed face. Ever since the disturbance, the young mage had acquired a strange ailment.

Her fever had been peaking for the past several days now, and Zexion found himself wondering if they would really be able to transport her to Castle Oblivion in this state. The IV drips were keeping her nutritionally sustained as well as hydrated, but Vexen provided nothing to ease her discomfort. It seemed the elder scientist was the spiteful sort.

Zexion watched as her body twitched and shivered. Her eyes opened briefly but saw nothing, hazed over with the pain and delirium the fever brought on. He turned away, finding himself discomforted seeing her in such a state. The illusionist found this to be rather odd. He was a scientist after all. He should be more than able to stomach this sort of thing.

She groaned again and slowly opened and closed her hands while squeezing her eyes shut. "Why..."

The word hung in the air unanswered as Zexion continued to watch her. It had been the first thing he'd heard from her since the fight and strangely enough a sense of...relief seeped through him. That one word proved that she was indeed recovering and should soon be well enough for travel. Seeing this as a good sign, he decided he would report the progress to Vexen. Before he left though, he wet a towel and placed it onto her forehead. The moment it touched she shivered again but her body eased into table in a more relaxed manner.

* * *

It was late, long after everyone else had retired to their rooms that Saix stepped through the doors of the leader's room. He'd just come from Vexen's lab to check on the heartseer hearing that she was recovering from her strange illness rather well and would be ready for departure within a day or two.

As he went farther into the room he sorted through what he wanted to say and how to portray it in a convincing enough manner. He was sure that Axel was trustworthy again as he seemed to be back to his old self. He was also certain that those heading to Castle Oblivion were traitors and needed to be dealt with and the best way to do so would be to send someone to do it firsthand.

"Welcome, Saix," the leader greeted. "What news do you bring me?"

"Preparations with the Heartseer are going well," Saix informed him off the bat. Xemnas had been both highly amused and greatly bothered that so much effort had been required to subdue the girl. "Vexen and Zexion have been tending to her. She'll be ready to move when the time comes. Vexen will start immediately with the project once he has settled into Castle Oblivion and she has made a full recovery."

"Excellent," the leader said with a nod of approval. "Though I would encourage him to continue his replica research, as it has bore us a rather promising fruit."

Saix nodded in agreement, even though he saw little point in the making of replicas. "There is one other thing, sir." Xemnas stared silently at him and Saix pressed on. "I have reason to suspect there are those who have treason on their minds."

"I am aware of this," the leader answered with an incline of his head. "Which is why I wish to send someone who might…. remedy this problem."

"What about Axel?" Saix suggested. "I doubt he'd have any troubles weeding the garden."

"And his relationship with the heartseer doesn't concern you?" Xemnas asked curiously. "Placing him there would give him the perfect opportunity to free her."

"I realize this," Saix answered calmly. "However, his most recent actions show he has regained his senses and won't be a problem. He assisted in her capture and since then has not asked about her well being, returning entirely to his old ways."

The leader took his time contemplating all of what Saix was telling him. "You know him best," he stated at length. "Very well, send him. Be sure he is informed of his role there."

"Of course," said Saix, pleased the leader had followed up on his suggestion. "Is there anything else?"

"Yes, once everyone else has gone, you may begin sending our newest member out into the field,' Xemnas said as an afterthought.

Saix promised he would do so and was dismissed. The blue haired Nobody wasted no time in going to Axel's room to inform him of the new development.

"Hey, hey," Axel said in mild indignation when Saix entered his room via dark portal. "You see that door? It's not just for decoration you know."

"You will be joining the group taking up residence in Castle oblivion," Saix explained getting right to the point.

"Really? That's a shocker. Why the sudden change in plans?" Axel asked in amusement.

"Some of the members who are going have some rather traitorous ideals," Saix explained. "To put it simply, they need to be disposed of."

"And I'm the one you want to do that," Axel inferred shaking his head. "Shit, I always do get the dirty jobs." He scratched the back of his head and then looked back up at his friend. "So then, you just want me to go, destroy them all and come back?"

"Subtly," Saix replied. "We'd rather not alert the other members to this incident. And yes, there are to be no survivors except for yourself from Castle Oblivion."

"Got it," Axel said confidently.

"Also, while you're there…" Saix said in a much lower and ever more serious manner. "Once you've taken care of matters, there is a room which you need to find..."

* * *

CM: Well, I guess we know where Axel stands. I mean it IS a tough choice, your girl or your friend. Still, the story isn't over yet. Next chapter, it's on to Castle Oblivion. Now I have a small request on our behalf, please review. We're trying to make it to 100 and we're so close. I know it's selfish to ask, but we wanna make our goal. Only you the readers can help us accomplish that. Thank you.


	35. Opportunity

**Chapter 35: Opportunity **

Thorn had always wondered what hell was like, if there even was one. Now she knew. She couldn't recall anything coherent. It was like being trapped underwater for what felt like weeks or months. Everything was distorted, sight and sound, everything muddled. Sometimes she felt like she was boiling alive, other she felt so cold she would surely freeze to death.

When she opened her eyes with coherency back in place, she hadn't a clue where she was. Her sight and perception were still muddled, like she was seeing everything through a fog. From the looks of things she was in the labs again, but… this one seemed different somehow. She tried moving but quickly found both her arms and legs were too heavy to move. No… that wasn't it. She was strapped down onto a table.

Thorn began to panic as she struggled against the restraints. However, her body felt like someone had sucked out her bones and muscles and replaced them with jelly. Forcing herself to calm down, she closed her eyes, trying to sort out what had happened. She was in the labs as usual… then Vexen, he'd tried something funny… yeah, so she tried to leave…. But then… Saix…Xigbar… and Vexen. And then….

Axel.

Her body suddenly went lax as the realization of how she was in her current predicament returned. Axel...the one NOBODY she had trusted more than all the others had turned his back on her and handed her over to the very people trying to kill her.

In her irritation she managed to pull herself fully out of her strange stage of sleep. Her eyes cleared up and finally she was able to look around the room. It was evident that it was another lab, but where...she had no idea. Looking down at her body, she could clearly see the straps holding her down and couldn't find the way to open them.

"Great, stuck to a table in a room I don't recognize," Thorn thought looking around once more. "Now how am I supposed to get out?" After a few more minutes of searching, she spotted a door off in the far corner of the room. "Well...I guess that's a start," she thought looking to her hands once more. Then she slowly tried to focus on gathering her magic...but couldn't pull anything together.

Shoot… her medium. They must have taken it. This was going to be even more difficult and more dangerous. Especially since she was suffering not only the after effects of the pyrexia as well as whatever drug they pumped her full of. She had to calm herself and think. The restraints were metal by the feel of them. If she could warm them at a steady enough rate, she might be able to expand them out enough to pull her limbs free. She'd have to be careful though, and have absolute concentration. And pray no one came in while she was working at it.

She took several deep calming breaths before focusing all of her mind on gathering what magic she could and moving it to her wrists. Once there, she thought back on her training for learning to use a fire spell and used what she'd learn to slowly create a heated field around her wrists. As she did this, she could feel the metal around her heating up and began moving her wrists back and forth. It was a long drawn out process, but eventually she felt her wrists slide out of their bindings one by one.

"There," she sighed sitting up now that her wrists were freed and the strap holding her head to the table was pushed off. She took a moment to more fully look around herself and was relieved to see that no one was present. She really didn't pay much attention to anything else that was in there. She could tell just from her initial glance that her things were not there. "Right, now the feet."

The legs were a little easier to do since she had a better view of her target and was able to direct the flow of magic with her hands. It was still comparatively slow going but she didn't dare try anything more advanced. Once she slipped her feet free, she shifted on the table and stood up. Her legs were unsteady and she wobbled a little as a massive head rush came on, but she shook it off and began searching for the exit. She approached the only door in the room and tried opening it. It was sealed shut tight. Of freakin' course.

Thorn searched around and found an electronic panel next to the door. Clearly some sort of key code was needed. Oh how she was beginning to loathe technology. She tried pushing a few buttons, then after a few minutes when that didn't work she began punching the thing. Then accidentally ended up frying it with electricity. Something must have short circuited because the door gave a beep and slid open. And who said violence didn't solve anything?

Being as cautious as possible, she stepped into the doorway and glanced around either corner looking for any sign of life. As she did so, her head began to swim once more and she had to shake it to clear it.

"Shit, what did they do to me?" she muttered in irritation. There was no way that pyrexia would still be making her head all foggy. She took a moment to allow her vision and mind to clear before picking a direction and taking off down the very clean hallway.

In many ways, the passages she took resembled those of The Castle That Never Was. She was certain, however, they were somewhere else...probably in that new headquarters they'd been setting up. Castle Oblivion, she was sure that's what the place was called.

The mage in training continued to wander the hall, wondering how she was going to navigate her way out. Especially if the size of this place was comparable to the last castle she was in. She heard the faint din of voices drift down the hall and she had half a mind to turn and head the other direction. However, it didn't sound like Vexen, and she needed to find out where her things were. She thought about the book Yensid had given her, her journal… her eyes widened when she remembered about the music box. The one holding Axel's heart.

Thorn had the immediate desire to sift through her pockets, but her cloak was gone, taken with anything else save for her own clothing. Then she had to question why she should care so much, since it was obvious he didn't want it. Didn't want her….

She closed her eyes and took another steadying breath as another wave of disorientation swept through her. She wasn't going to go there right now.

Step one: stay calm. Step two: find stuff. Step three: get the hell out. Good? Great. Let's do this.

Making up her mind, she headed toward the voice pausing every now and again to clear her head. When she reached the corner where the voice was emanating, she glanced around it and was pleasantly surprised to see Zexion standing in the hallway with Lexaeus talking about...someone in the Castle. She really wanted to go over and say hello to the shy NOBODY but remembering how easily Axel had turned on her made her slightly wary.

As she stood there, she noticed that the conversation had changed between the two and they began walking away with the door they'd been standing next to standing open. "Most of her things were placed in there with the other storage items," Zexion explained to Lexaeus. "Vexen wanted to make sure all of her things were out of the castle and away from her."

"Understandable," the larger guy murmured. "Considering what happened. Is he planning on continuing his project anytime soon?"

"What with our newest guests, he's been fairly distracted of late. I don't doubt his attention will be elsewhere until they've been taken care of."

"It was his turn to do the dishes…"

The rest of the conversation went unheard to Thorn as she ducked into the room they had just vacated. She searched and pilfered through the boxes until she at last found a box which held the book Yensid had given her, as well as her journal. Her medium, however, was nowhere to be found. Neither was the music box. She felt panic and dismay sweep through like a kick to the gut. She began tearing through the place, searching each box but making sure to put things back more or less how she found them.

In mid search she froze as she heard voices coming back down the hall. Shoot, she needed to hide somewhere quick. Either that or give up the search and get out fast while she could. She didn't have the energy necessary to resist one of the Organization's members as she was now.

She quickly leapt behind the boxes and made herself as invisible as possible just as the owner of the voice stepped into the room. "Nothing looks out of the ordinary here." She recognized the voice as Zexion's. He had returned with Lexaeus. "Are you certain you heard something?"

"Maybe not," Lexaeus muttered. Thorn took a moment to glance over the edge of the boxes she was hiding behind and almost gasped loudly in surprise as her eyes met with Zexion's.

"Then we might as well get going," Zexion stated as a small smile appeared on his lips.

"You did remember to give the dosage of sedatives to the heartseer," Lexaeus muttered.

"Hmm, it must have slipped my mind," the silver haired member stated as he led the way out of the room.

Thorn fell back onto the floor, an exhale of relief shooting out of her lungs. Followed quickly by a rush of gratitude. Even with the rapport she managed to build with him, she hadn't expected Zexion to cover for her. If she ever had the chance to repay the favor, she wouldn't soon forget what she owed him.

Deciding now would be a great time to vacate the premises, she decided to just leave the room and start her search for the exit. The thing about the corridor of darkness was… if you didn't know where it was you wanted to go, it was like trying to find an outlet in a pitch dark room you've never been in before. So she could either trek it on foot and risk running into someone who wouldn't be as inclined to let her skip off on her merry way, or take a crap shoot with the portal and get spit out into god knows where. The worst case being her dropping in on someone in the middle of a shower.

_'Well, if it were Axel that wouldn't be so terrible,'_ a little voice in her head mused.

She quickly shook her head trying to rid herself of the thought. "He's given up on you...there's no reason to continue trying for someone that is more likely to hand you over to the person wanting to take you apart than spend another wonderful night with you," she mumbled to herself.

She'd take her chances trying to find an exit on foot. At least then they'd have a harder time tracking her. Getting to her feet she started heading for the door. Before she reached it, she spotted a cloak hanging on the wall. She quickly put it on and looked herself over. Well, it was a little big, but it'd keep the less desirable members from locating her as easily.

With that, she left the room and began her search for the exit.

* * *

Larxene was lounging on the couch reading when Axel returned from his visit with the Keyblade master. She'd watched the whole thing from the observation area. Most of Castle Oblivion's main floors had been set up with monitoring systems to help better keep an eye on the place. The system overall was turning out to be pretty nifty. Especially where watching the Keyblade master's progress was concerned.

"Why so courteous, Axel?" She asked him, as her eyes scanned over the paragraph she was on. "I would have roughed him up a little more."

"I figured I could just leave the distasteful cruelty to you, since it seems to be your specialty," Axel replied walking past her without the slightest interest in her company.

"Hmph, you seem to have taken quite an interest to this kid. Any particular reason why?"

"Why else? He lost his heat, but he didn't lose himself. Only one other has been able to do that." He stared thoughtfully at a flawlessly white wall as if it might hold the answers to his questions. "What makes his heart shine like that?"

"So you're not just interested because of HIM," Larxene inferred, shutting her book and looking over at the red head. "It's his heart that intrigues you." She gave a small giggle. "My, how your interest seems to switch fast."

"What can I say, without a heart to make me fully drawn to something I tend to jump back and forth to keep my interests alive," Axel answered with a shrug. "Besides, you switch far more often than I. How long have you been interested in Marluxia?"

"Long enough," Larxene simpered. Her eyes focusing on his face. "Not as long as you were in the heartseer."

"She was only a little less abrasive than you are," Axel replied with a wry smile as he went over to the monitors. "And not nearly as fickle."

"What can I say? I find men without hearts to be rather boring." Larxene sat up on the couch and stretched, her already fitted cloak stretching tight over her skin. "Mysterious little thing, the heart."

"Perhaps," Axel acknowledged. Zexion and Lexaeus were having sit-down time with tea and biscuits. Vexen was probably in his lab. "But unlocking its secrets is the reason we the Organization exists."

"Well, if Vexen finishes his little project, we won't have trouble with that for very much longer."

"Oh? How do you figure?" Sora and his friends were going through a world with a lot of sand. And a silver haired boy was making his way through the deeper levels of the castle.

"Yeah, he was bragging something about this new machine he made. The only part I remember was him saying he was planning on taking out that tramp's heart and sticking it in the machine or something. I'm requesting front row seats for that little show."

As Axel watched the screens, he noticed an extra someone who shouldn't have been out and wandering about. He released a soft chuckle, unable to keep from smiling. "You might have to put a hold on that show. Seems our little captive is out and about."

"WHAT!?" Larxene propelled herself from the couch as if it had caught fire and rushed over to the viewing screens. "How is that possible? What the hell is that old geezer doing?"

"After everything else I've seen from her, I'm honestly not all that surprised," Axel commented, as if the whole thing was one big joke to him.

"Ugh, whatever. I'm gonna grab her and drag her sorry little ass back to the lab table where she…"

"Let's not be so hasty, Larxene." Marluxia appeared behind them looking rather pleased with himself. Well he damn right should, he was leader of their new set up.

"Why not?" Larxene demanded pointing angrily at the screen. "That wench was deemed a threat and we need to get rid of her."

"Now hold on," Marluxia murmured patiently. "Remember she supposedly had enough power to take on Vexen, Saix, and Xigbar at the same time. This proves that she has enough strength to guarantee the success of our own plans."

"But do we really need her?" Larxene asked hoping he'd say no.

"Yes. Axel, would you go extend to her our invitation," Marluxia requested turning to the red head.

Axel gave a light shake of his head as though the request bugged him but his sly smile suggested he was looking forward to it. "Well, I suppose since you call the shots around here I'm not in any position to say 'no', now am I?"

Marluxia merely smiled and added, "Be discreet about it."

"Got it. One heartseer coming right up." With that, he disappeared in a swirl of shadows.

"You really think we can trust him?" Larxene asked looking to Marluxia.

"That is yet to be determined," he answered. "But we shall see."

* * *

"WHY IS THIS PLACE SO DAMN BIG!?"

Thorn had been running around for a good hour or so at least and she felt like she'd gotten ten miles to nowhere. Every room looked almost exactly the same and everything was white. She felt a headache coming on just keeping her eyes open. She leaned against a pillar to rest for a bit. Man… she was hungry, and she still felt very off her game.

"It must be because of the sedatives Zexion mentioned," she thought with dismay. "I have to find an exit soon, there's no telling when I'll lose the ability to move and I won't be caught by them again."

Once she was rested up, she continued on her way trying her best to stay awake. As she passed through her hundredth hallway, she nearly fell to her knees only to be caught by some rather small hands. "Are you okay?" a young voice asked.

"Uh...are you sure you should be doing that Sora?" a dopey kind of voice asked.

"Yeah, she's one of them! Look at her clothes!" That's what she thought the third one said...it was hard to understand.

Thorn looked up and was met with wide, selfless, sapphire blue eyes surrounded by spiky brown hair. "You…"

It was Sora… but what in the world was he doing here of all places?

The boy smiled before looking to his friends. "It's okay… somehow… I think I've met her before. Yeah… in fact, I know I have."

"But how is that possible?" his duck friend ask looking confused.

"Ya never met her when you were with us… uh, I don't think…" The dog one stated while scratching his head.

Sora shook his head. "No… it was before I met you guys. Yeah… the first time I visited TraverseTown."

Sora looked at Thorn who was silently gaping at him. How in the world… there was no way he should be able to remember her. Had she messed up somehow?

"It's a little fuzzy," Sora admitted sheepishly. "But I'm pretty sure you helped me."

"Uh...yeah I did," Thorn murmured. She wasn't sure how he remembered the incident but she wasn't about to flat out lie to him either. "It's been a long time."

"Yeah, what are you doing here? And why are you wearing that?" Sora asked helping her to her feet.

"I could ask why you're here as well," Thorn replied. "How did you even get here?"

"We just kind of wandered in, ahyuck," the dog explained happily.

"We're trying to find clues as to where Riku and the King are," Sora added.

"The king?"

"Yeah, King Mickey!" the duck exclaimed.

"Right...and you think you'll learn where they are by tracking down these...guys here?" Thorn asked curiously.

"That's what we're hoping for anyway," Sora said with a light sigh of disappointment. "Oh, by the way, this is Donald, Goofy…" he pointed to his shoulder. "And this is Jiminy."

Holy crap on a swizzle stick, was that a cricket? Thorn murmured her name in greeting, trying her hardest not to stare. Clearly they hadn't found any substantial evidence that the people they were looking for were there. As Thorn looked at all of them, she noticed… something odd was going on with their hearts… or more specifically their hearts' memories.

"You all… do any of you feel… strange, or different?" she asked.

The three exchanged glances. "Well, not really. At least I don't think so," Sora said rubbing his head.

"We do keep forgetting things," Goofy pointed out.

"Yeah...but we keep remembering things too," Sora added. "Like we don't really remember anyone we met in Traverse Town...but I do remember you."

"Uh-huh," Thorn muttered thinking things over. By the look of things as well as what they were describing, somehow their memories were being manipulated. Certain pieces seemed to be disappearing before her very eyes while others seemed to be added or more accurately pulled from the innermost depths. As much about the heart as she understood, she couldn't see how any of what was happening to them was possible. "But other than your memories nothing seems to be different?"

"Not a thing," Donald stated matter-of-factly.

"Hey, I got an idea. Maybe you should come with us. You could help look for Riku and the King...and we could always use the extra help when it comes to fighting heartless," Sora suddenly suggested.

Thorn was rather taken aback by the sudden invite. On the one hand, not being alone in this endless void of a castle would be nice. On the other hand, her desire was to escape this place, while they seem to be going deeper in. Still… she'd feel bad just leaving them at the mercy of the people who ran this place.

Before she could make up her mind to voice a yay or nay, another voice interrupted the conversation. A voice that made Thorn's heart seize up.

"I've got a much better idea. Why don't you just leave her with me?"

Thorn's face tightened a margin as she turned to face the newcomer. "Axel," she muttered breathing steadily. "Thanks, but no thanks. I've already experienced your kind of hospitality and I'd rather not experience it again."

"What do you want with Thorn?" Sora demanded taking a step in front of her. "I won't let you take her."

Thorn glanced down at the boy and his two friends that had also taken up a place in front of her. "Back off guys," she stated stepping through their defense and facing Axel head on. "I'm going to settle things with him myself. We sort of have...a few personal issues to work through. I don't really need your help in dealing with him."

Axel's facial expression conveyed he was nothing short of entertained by her bravery to face him alone. "You know, you're not very good at escaping."

"Yeah, well," Thorn quickly searched for something to throw back at him as she tried not to get sucked into his green eyed stare. "Your security sucks."

He released a breathy chuckle, his eyes flickering in enjoyment at her hostility. She searched his face for any of the previous warmth, any indication that he might still, for lack of a better word, FEEL something for her. She could find nothing beyond his detached amusement.

"You're looking for a way out, am I right?" he asked, even though he must know it to be the absolute truth. He stretched his hand out so welcomingly. "If that's the case, come with me."

Gosh, did that ring some bells. Thorn remembered him offering her his hand in the exact same manner when he was asking her to come with him to the world of Nobodies. He had the exact same look about him. One that said, _"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer." _In his mind there were but two outcomes: she either came willingly, or he took her by force.

Thorn looked him over for a few minutes before a smirk spread across her face to match his own. "No. I'm not going anywhere with you," she said before holding up only her middle finger. "So you can go screw yourself."

Sora, Donald and Goofy all stared in shock, their jaws making a decent attempt to drop off their owners faces and hit the floor. After having fought the fire wielder once already, they were astounded that Thorn was ready and willing to go head on against him one-on-one.

Even Axel, for all his steadfastness, looked surprised for the briefest of moments. Then he withdrew his hand, a grin coming back full and fast. "Hmm, now that's my kind of answer." His chakrams appeared in his hands. "Just don't go regretting it."

He rushed forward and she quickly jumped away, avoiding his sweeping attacks and taking several back steps to ensure Sora and his friends wouldn't get caught in the crossfire. She ignored the protest of her body as it fought against the lethargy inducing influence of whatever drug was still swimming around in her system.

Her fatigue finally did catch up with her though as she tripped on her backpedaling feet and he used her stumbling movement to fully knock her down and pin her to the ground with one hand on her arm and the other holding a chakram right next to her head. "I was asking nicely you know," he smirked knowing she didn't have any strength to fight him.

"Right, as nice as you were when you handed me over?" she demanded glaring as harshly as she could at him. Axel just smirked and gave her a look that said he was waiting.

"Thorn!" The shout startled both of them and they looked up to see Sora and his friends running towards them with their weapons drawn.

"Sora! Don't you dare come a step closer!" Thorn shouted clearly angry. Her voice made him stop in his tracks and look at her in confusion.

"Heh, smart move," Axel said from above her.

Thorn just glared at him silently. Dammit… even poised above her, ready to take her in, with his weapon trained on her, she STILL couldn't shake off just how hot he was. This should NOT be as erotic as it felt at that moment. What made it worse was she felt as though his eyes were peeling back her mask of anger and seeing into her naughty thoughts. From her peripheral vision she saw the darkness rising up to take her away.

"Sora," Axel spoke to the boy while his eyes remained on the female beneath him. "If you really want to help her, then just keep doing what you're doing. Move forward, and seek the secret truths of your memories."

"Don't listen to him!" Thorn yelled, struggling to get free. "Forget about me and get out of here!"

She was about to say more, but the image of the three heroes disappeared behind a wall of shadows. He had her. Now that they were in the corridor of darkness, there was no chance of her escaping and she knew it. Once they entered the corridor, Axel got to his feet and dragged the goth girl up with him holding tightly to her arm.

"Well, you've got a welcoming committee waiting for your return," he said and she could hear his smirk despite looking in the opposite direction.

"Let's just get this over with," she muttered in irritation. "You and I both know I can't fight in the state I'm in right now.

Axel led the way through the corridor, keeping a close eye on her in case she decided to make a break for it. When Thorn stepped out, big effing surprise, it was another white room. Just as Axel promised, there were people to welcome her, but she was far from being thrilled about who it was.

"Welcome, Thorn," Marluxia greeted to her with a serene smile. "I can't tell you how happy I am that we managed to locate you."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Thorn muttered. "So what now? Are you guys gonna slap me down on another dissection bench?"

"Oh, I so WISH," Larxene grumbled.

Marluxia gave an elegant shake of his head. "No, Thorn, I have no desire to turn you over to Vexen. Your abilities are far too valuable to be sacrificed for an experiment that may or may not work. I, in fact, wish to offer you an opportunity for freedom."

"Freedom," Thorn repeated with disdain. It was clear she didn't believe a word he was spouting but what other choices did she have? "And if I told you that I wasn't interested and that you should go screw off then what?"

Larxene moved to strike her but Marluxia held up his hand to stop her. "Then Vexen would regrettably have his little toy returned to him...though a little worse for wear," he answered calmly.

"Figures, it's either agree or go back there," she thought glaring at the three of them in turn. Then out loud she said with a shrug, "Well, I guess my hands are tied then aren't they. What do you want me to do so I can earn this...freedom?"

"It's simple, really." The pink haired Nobody moved closer to her. Uncomfortably close.

While Thorn didn't want to seem weak or jumpy, she did not like the proximity between them. Total invasion of space. She did her best not to flinch when he brushed her hair back away from her ear.

"What I want from you is…" he leaned forward and whispered a few words.

Her eyes went wide and she looked up at him. "You've got to be kidding me."

He shook his head. "Not at all. So… for your freedom, would you be willing to do this?"

Thorn stared at him before glancing at the others. Larxene was impatiently tapping her foot while Axel just stood with his arms folded, not looking at her.

"Yeah… sure, I guess I can roll with that."

"Good, until then though you'll simply keep someone company," Marluxia murmured holding his hand out to her. "It'll give you a chance to relax and your body a chance to finish expelling that pesky sedative."

"Right," Thorn muttered crossing her arms and ignoring the offered hand. "So, who am I keeping company?"

The effeminate NOBODY lowered his hand before turning and opening a door for her. She took this as an order to go through the doorway and did so not surprised when she saw that once again it was all white. What did surprise her though, was the sight of a young girl with short blonde hair sitting at a table that was littered with drawings.

The girl looked up and seemed a little surprised, as though she expected someone else. "Who are you?" her voice was soft and timid.

"Name's Thorn," the mage replied. Another Nobody… and she looked really familiar. Actually when she thought about it, she kind of looked liked that girl Sora likes so much.

"You… are you also… a Nobody?" she asked uncertainly.

"Nope, I just wear the threads for grins and giggles." At the confused look the girl gave Thorn said, "No, I'm not a Nobody. At least not in the sense you're talking about."

"Then why are you here?"

Thorn stared down at the floor. "Because I made some really stupid decisions." Trying to take her mind off her own shortcomings, she asked, "What's your name?"

"…Namine."

* * *

CM: Dang... we are so close to finishing (this story), you have no idea. We probably have about a couple more chapters left and then we're done. So thanks to those who've shown us support by reviewing. Now its just a matter of, will this end happily or tragically? We'll leave you to ponder that. Hope you enjoyed and please continue reviewing. :)


	36. Friend in the Dark

**Chapter 36: Friend in the Dark**

"What's your name?"

"…Namine."

"Pretty," Thorn answered with a smile.

"I'm glad to see you getting along so well," Marluxia stated as he entered the room with Larxene and Axel. "I hope you like the room, because until I call upon your skills you will be staying here."

Thorn glanced up at the trio and smirked. "Sorry, but unless you somehow know where my medium is I won't be able to do a thing."

"I'll see what I can do to remedy that," Marluxia returned. "Until then, it would be wise of you not to wander from here, in case Vexen comes looking for you."

"Yeah, sure," Thorn said making it clear she still didn't trust him. "I'll be a good little girl." _For now._

Suddenly a huge growl erupted from her unfed belly and Thorn flushed, feeling her hunger couldn't have possibly had worse timing.

Marluxia merely smiled as though he hadn't heard it. "Then in the meantime, you two enjoy yourselves." As he turned to leave he added, "I'll have some food brought to you."

Thorn glared at them until the door closed behind their backs before she allowed herself to collapse into one of the chairs at the table in front of Namine. She was glad she'd be eating soon, but the idea of being indebted to them for anything was infuriating.

"Are you alright?" Namine asked from her seat noticing the lack of movement on the heartseer's part.

"Yeah, just exhausted," she muttered attempting to rub the tiredness out of her eyes. "I've been moving near non-stop for the past several hours...and my body is still being affected by Vexen's sedatives."

"I see… I'm sorry," Namine said sadly.

"Don't be, it'll pass soon enough." She went ahead and made herself comfortable. "So why are you here?"

The blonde girl looked down at her sketch book. "I was brought here when they found me, shortly after I was made. I've been here ever since."

Thorn stared at her. "You're serious?" When Namine nodded, Thorn felt even more angry towards the organization. "Why? Why aren't you all dressed up in the uniform and taking part? Why keep you here?"

The girl seemed reluctant to say, but it seemed she felt Thorn was trustworthy enough to tell. "It's because… I'm not the same as the other Nobodies. I'm… special."

Special, huh? Thorn thought grimly. If there's one thing she'd learned in life, it was that being special wasn't necessarily a good thing.

"Ugh, I still can't believe we have to put up with her," Larxene grumbled in discontent. She turned to Axel and smiled a little. "Still, I had to admit it was fun watching you put her in her place."

"Yes, job well done, Axel," Marluxia commended. "I have to admit I had my doubts as to whether you could really follow through or not, given your previous relations with her."

Axel looked at him wryly. "Since when do any of us have the heart to care for anyone?"

"Good answer," the pink haired man said with a nod. "I'm sure such thoughts made Saix much less concerned about your loyalties."

Axel smirked as he replied, "What? She was interesting. I admit it took me awhile to see the threat she was becoming but in the end, she's just another person with a heart." He shrugged a bit as he continued forward. "Anyway, I should probably go. No telling what that keyblade wielder is up to."

"Very well," Marluxia consented. "Be sure to keep us updated on his progress."

"You got it."

Once Axel was out of the room and he was by himself, he thought about his interaction with the heartseer. How she was so geared up to take him on alone as she flipped him the bird. The imagery caused him to chuckle and soon he was outright laughing.

"Man, oh man," he thought shaking his head. "I knew she had spunk but she just keeps surprising." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a choker with a rose pendant on it. "I have to say, Thorn, I think that's what intrigued me the most about you."

* * *

Whatever Vexen had been giving her must have been really bad because Thorn ended up taking over 24 hours to fully get over the affects of the "special medicine" for her. By the time she was able to move around without any problems she was sick of everyone around her accept Namine. On this day, she was sitting against a wall ignoring the two Nobodies she hated most while Namine sat nearby in a small lone chair.

So far, her time spent had been rather boring. She hadn't been allowed to leave the room they left her in. Marluxia claimed it was because he was concerned if Vexen saw her it would only create unnecessary complications. There was really nothing for her to do other than talk to Namine. Thorn was just grateful that the girl was a very sweet and tolerable person compared to Marly and the witch. Plus it turned out Namine and Thorn shared a common interest, drawing. Though if Thorn had to give her opinion, which she did not and would not say out loud, but a lot of Namine's drawings were…. Geez there was no nice way to put it. It was like seeing a kiddy doodle done by a kindergartner.

Thorn had also learned what was going on with Sora's heart. Namine had explained to Thorn her abilities, and what the Organization creeps were having her do. If Thorn didn't have so many setbacks happening for her that would only get her killed, she would have attempted ditching these losers and try to help the kid.

"Thorn, come here for a moment," Marluxia summoned as he and Larxene watched the multiple TV screens depicting events occurring throughout the castle. "There's something I believe you'll enjoy seeing."

While Thorn would rather stay as far away from the flower freak as possible, she decided to humor him for the time. She got up and walked over to where he was standing. He gestured to a particular screen and curiously she looked into it. She saw an image of Sora, Axel and Vexen standing at the gates of the Twilight Town mansion. Vexen appeared to be on his last leg, Sora looked as though he didn't understand what was going on, and Axel had a smile like Christmas had come early.

"Hey, Sora. Sorry to cut in right when he was getting to the juicy bits," Axel said keeping his eyes on the stumbling Vexen. Sora stared at him in shock and fear.

"Unnh...Axel, wh-why?" Vexen stuttered looking terrified of the deadly red head.

"You sure love to talk. But it's about time you shut up...forever," Axel replied, his face turning into a dangerous expression.

"N-no...don't do it!"

"We're Nobodies, Vexen. We've got no right to be...but we still are. So look on the bright side, you're off the hook. Now you can be nothing instead of just being a Nobody," Axel stated grinning sadistically.

Thorn clenched her hands as she watched the scene before her. She was glad to see Vexen getting what he deserved, but the look in Axel's eyes even made her slightly frightened.

As she continued to watch, she saw Vexen begging to be left alive only to be cut off in the middle of his plea by Axel holding out his hand and snapping his fingers causing the scientist to burst into flames.

After a last exchange between Sora and Axel, the red head disappeared off the screen. Only to reappear in the room they all occupied.

"Nicely done!" Larxene complimented going over to Axel and putting a hand on his shoulder. "I say good riddance to that blabbermouth."

Thorn was immediately struck was a nasty territorial rage and that part of her was screaming _'Get the hell off my man, bitch!'_ Seeing their bodies so close together, the goth was forced to look away before she did something she wouldn't regret in the slightest.

_'He's not yours anymore,'_ she reminded herself. _'He probably never was.'_

"Marluxia," Axel said, ignoring the blonde on his shoulder. "You used Vexen to test Sora, didn't you?"

The pinked haired man smiled. "Not just him. We needed to test your resolution as well. I'd say you passed. Welcome to the big leagues. With the three of us as well as Thorn, taking over the Organization will be child's play. "

As Thorn listened, her disdain only grew. Some organization, there was no camaraderie in it at all. She almost lost it when Marluxia talked about using Sora, and Larxene threatened Namine not to screw anything up. She chanced a glance over at Axel and was surprised to find him standing with his eyes closed looking as if he'd dozed off. She almost wanted to laugh.

"You know," Larxene spoke up. "I think since the little heartseer is all rested up, she should start earning her keep."

Marluxia hummed thoughtfully. "Yes, Axel proved his loyalty. Now, Thorn, it is your turn."

The mage rolled her eyes. "I guess good behavior merits nothing around here."

"After the little display against Saix, Vexen, and Xigbar, I'd expect it to be understandable that we'd like some reassurance of your loyalty before our true battle begins," Marluxia replied walking over to her and stroking her chin with his hand.

She wanted to punch him for getting so close but she held herself in check. "So then, what do you want me to do? Go...wreck his lab or pull out something he was working on, that you want?" she asked sarcastically.

"No, we want you to take out the other two nuisances here," Larxene spoke up making her way towards the goth as well. "You know...the book worm and the annoyingly silent one."

Thorn's gut churned. Kill Zexion and Lexaeus? Now that idea didn't sit well with her at all. She practically owed Zexion and while she couldn't say she and Lexaeus were the best of pals he had never wronged her in anyway. What to do?

"If it's killing them you're worried, then fear not," Marluxia told her. "Nobodies cannot die. They merely fade from existence. You would only be doing them a favor."

_'If that's the case then how about I just take out you and the evil blonde bimbo over there?'_ Thorn took a slow breath. "Alright then, if that's what it takes."

Marluxia smiled and released her chin. "Be sure not to fail us."

_'Screw you and your flower petals.'_

When Thorn nodded in answer, he opened a portal and she stepped through it, following it until she emerged in the hallway she'd been traversing through when she first woke up. After a bit of wandering she found a room which was dimly lit with a sitting area and a chore chart tacked onto one of the walls. Zexion was sitting alone at a table, quietly drinking tea and nibbling on a plate of small cookies. The big guy was nowhere to be seen.

Thorn leaned against the wall next to the door and sighed. If she had her medium she knew taking down Zexion would be simple, ignoring the fact that she didn't want to fight him that is. She'd grown attached to him, Demyx, and Axel and knew that when it came down to it...actually hurting any of them would be nigh impossible.

As she thought over her situation and her options, she heard a voice drift over to her from the room. "Thorn, did you come to say 'hello' after Vexen's demise? Or are you here for another reason?"

Thorn sighed. She'd forgotten that he could locate people by sent alone. "I just came to say hi," she answered walking into the room and smiling at him. "Granted I was sent to fight you...but frankly I don't see the point in it. Without my medium I can't beat you with or without Lexaeus around."

Zexion smiled faintly. "Yet you've placed me in a difficult situation. Even if Vexen has been eliminated, the leader's orders are absolute."

"Ah… yeah, sorry about that," Thorn said awkwardly.

Zexion chuckled, giving a small shake of his head. "Please, sit."

"You don't seem all that disappointed about Vexen," she noted, sitting down across the table from him.

The silver haired Nobody picked up his cup and took a slow drink from it. "Hm, yes, I suppose I should, given he is one of the men who helped raise me as a child. Make no mistake, I do find it deplorable, members of the organization striking each other down. However, as you know, we Nobodies have difficulty feeling emotion."

"Right," Thorn murmured. She looked at the cookies then looked at him silently asking permission. He nodded his head in a help yourself manner and she took a few cookies and began nibbling off of them. "So where is Lexaeus?"

"He is currently fighting another intruder," Zexion answered, taking another sip before setting the cup back down. "The key blade wielder's dear friend and the vessel of darkness, Riku."

Thorn choked on her cookie at the sound of the name and had to take a moment to clear her throat before she tried to speak. "Riku? He's in the castle...now?" she asked curiously trying not to show how shocked she was.

"You've met him?" Zexion asked.

"Well...I guess sort of. Only for a moment," she admitted. "But I erased his memory of me the moment I left."

"Are you worried about him, knowing Lexaeus is fighting him now?" he asked biting into a cookie himself.

Thorn shrugged having fully regained her composure. "Maybe a little, but not enough to do anything about it," she answered nonchalantly.

Zexion closed his eyes pensively and he was silent for several minutes. When he at last spoke, it was barely above a whisper. "If Lexaeus falls, would you be willing to take care of him?"

Thorn didn't like where this was going. "What do you mean?"

"We wish to recruit Riku's talents," he explained calmly to her. "Especially since it seems Marluxia has become traitorous and is planning to seize the wielder of light. However, he can also easily become a threat. If that is the case, there is only one other alternative."

"I'm not going to kill him," Thorn stated automatically. "I also would just rather not get involved in any of this."

Zexion gazed at her from beneath his bangs. "Not even to repay a debt?"

Well, she'd give him that. "I can talk to him, but I'm not promising anything else."

"I suppose I can't ask for anything more," Zexion answered with a nod. "You aren't a killer after all."

Thorn smiled at his reply and slowly got to her feet. "Then I suppose I should get going," she murmured finishing off her cookies. "I guess I should make sure I'm close by so that I don't have to accidentally run into Marluxia and the others."

"Yes, that would be best," Zexion nodded silently. "Just try not to do anything that would force my hand."

"I'll try not to," Thorn promised with a sly smile. Then she turned toward the door with a small wave and disappeared into the hallway.

* * *

It was amazing how easily strings could be pulled. Axel would know, he'd been doing it for a long time know. Once you knew a person in and out, getting them to act as you wanted was, as good ol' soon-to-be-dead Marly put it, child's play. Once Thorn had been sent away and the two other Nobodies went off to have a premature celebration on their victory, Axel had coaxed Namine into screwing their plans to hell and back. He also made sure to destroy every monitor at their disposal, leaving them blind to the goings-on in Castle Oblivion. Luckily he had his own little device which allowed him personal viewing on the delightful show he had orchestrated.

It had been satisfying watching Larxene fade out of existence, even though she had deserved far worse. His attempt at erasing Marluxia had been less than successful considering Sora's poor timing. But hey, if the Keyblade master ended up finishing the guy off, that was fine and dandy with him. Even still, there were a few more loose ends to tie up. The basement dwellers for one, and also… Thorn of course would need to be taken care of as well. Saix had made it very clear that no living person was to be left in Castle Oblivion, and Axel was more than ready to see those orders through.

After his fight with Sora and faking his own disappearing, he went to pay the basement level a visit. He wasn't surprised it was only Zexion considering the problems they'd been having with Riku.

"First Vexen, and now Lexaeus too," the book worm murmured to himself. "What will become of the Organization?"

"Larxene's out of the picture too," Axel added as he entered the room. "I wonder who'll be next?"

"I thought it might be you," Zexion said with a ghost of a smile.

"Me? Naah, I already took my pounding from Sora. He thinks I'm done for good. I don't plan on doing a repeat performance anytime soon. No, I think Marluxia's next in line to go," Axel answered with a confident smile.

"You think Sora will win because anyone who beats you is unbeatable, is that it?" Zexion asked looking him over carefully.

"That's the idea. Marluxia plotted to use Sora against the Organization, so it's fitting Sora should be his downfall," Axel explained with a shrug. "I hope he moves exactly as his heart commands him to."

"Then... we won't be needing Riku anymore," Zexion concluded looking off into the distance.

"So where's Thorn?" Axel asked glancing around. "Marluxia sent her to take out you and Lexaeus. Doesn't look like she did a very good job."

"You expected her to follow through?" Zexion inquired.

Axel shook his head. "Nope. I knew she wouldn't. She has a heart unlike the rest of us."

Zexion was silent for a few moments, before divulging. "I sent her after Riku."

"Heh, you really think without being able to use her magic properly she'd be able to handle someone who wasted Lexaeus?"

"I had hoped she might be able to sway him onto our side. But if Marluxia is gone, then the point is mute. He is only a nuisance."

"Hmm...so what do you want to do about it?" Axel asked with a wave in his direction.

"Do you still have the data on Riku's home?" Zexion asked after a moment's thought.

"Yep, think it'll help?" Axel replied reaching into his coat for the data and handing it over to Zexion.

"It just might."

As Axel watched Zexion disappear, the red head smiled. Even Zexion, a master manipulator, would be another casualty in this game, even if he didn't realize it yet.

"Pulling everyone's strings is no easy job," he commented out loud as he pulled out his device.

Once he found what he was looking for, he teleported to a higher level of the castle where Riku, or his replica, was wondering aimlessly around. After his last encounter with Sora and Namine, it seemed the poor thing didn't know what do with himself. So then, Axel would give him exactly what he wanted. A role.

"You…" The replica said faintly.

"You look lost," Axel noted.

"How could I not be?" he demanded angrily. "Everything about me is fake!"

"Yeah it kind of is," Axel agreed approaching him casually. "But it doesn't always have to be that way."

The replica looked up at him in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Well...I may have a way for you to change that part of yourself," he answered with a shrug and a side glance. "But if you aren't interested I can always just let you keep wandering until you shut down or something like that."

The fake Riku stared down at the floor as if contemplating his options. At length, his gaze returned to Axel. "What do I have to do?"

"Very simple." Axel smiled and held out his hand, waving the kid towards him. "Come with me."

* * *

White, the color or, lack thereof, was really starting to tick Thorn off as she traveled through corridor after corridor on her way to meet with Riku and possibly talk him into helping the Organization. She'd much rather convince him to leave to protect himself but something told her she'd be pulled out if she attempted it.

As she stepped onto the floor that Riku was supposed to be on, she quickly sorted through her thoughts in order to come up with a good argument to start with. By the time she reached the door he was supposed to exit, she still didn't have a thing. Honestly she couldn't think of a single reason he should stay and help...and that was not going to help out her case.

She waited impatiently against a nearby pillar for Riku to exit and in a short amount of time he came marching out.

"I've been waiting for you, Riku," she greeted thinking that he'd probably remember her too somehow. Then again she still wasn't completely certain how far Namine's powers extended so she decided not to push it.

"You…" Riku stated, aqua eyes widening briefly in recognition. For a split moment, Thorn believed he did remember her from the clock tower. That was quickly nullified when he pulled out his weapon and immediately took a fighting stance. "You're one of them, aren't you? What do you creeps want this time?"

"What? No, I…" Oh, terrific, this conversation was already going to crap. "I'm not one of them. I just want to talk."

"You can't fool me," Riku said, eyes full of distrust. "You're wearing the exactly same cloak as those other guys."

"Well...yes I am, but I actually have a good reason for it," she explained holding her hands out trying to signal she didn't mean any harm. "Look, I get it you don't remember me...frankly I really didn't expect you to. But I helped you out before." His glare deepened and she knew that he wasn't buying a word she said. "I helped you with your friend on the clock tower in London." He continued to advance and she tried to pull the name out of her memory but couldn't so she gleaned his heart for it instead. "Kairi! Her name was Kairi and she was completely non-responsive. I told you her heart was missing."

He paused and looked her over, distrust still shining in his eyes. "How do you know Kairi?" he demanded tightening his grip on the sword.

"I told you I saw her with you and helped you out," Thorn answered believing the question showed she was getting through...sort of. "I was wearing the suit there too."

"Then why don't I remember ever seeing you?" he demanded taking another step towards her.

"Well...I sort of erased your memory of me, but just me," she answered quickly. "I didn't touch anything else. I was sort of told that being seen in other worlds multiple times it'd be bad so I made sure no one who saw me remembered they saw me."

Riku paused and for a few moments he stood contemplating her words. For a moment, it looked as though he was buying into it. Then suddenly something seemed to distract him.

"One of the scents is… gone."

Thorn cocked her head. "Say what now?"

Before he could answer, however, Zexion appeared at the top of the stairs. "So you sensed it too. That was Marluxia, this castle's leader, being felled by the keyblade master." Thorn was just as surprised to see Zexion as Riku was and even more so when he turned to look at her. "I appreciate the effort, Thorn. But it is no longer necessary."

Riku glared at her. "I knew it. I knew you were with them!"

"Woah woah woah, this isn't what it looks like," Thorn exclaimed throwing her hands up again. "Okay I know it looks like I work for them and technically I was sent to talk to you but only talk I swear. They wanted your help with something that's all."

"Well, we don't need him anymore so we'll just get rid of the nuisance," Zexion murmured before Riku could reply.

"Just come and try it!" he declared brandishing his sword in a threatening manner toward both of them.

Why the hell did she keep getting stuck in these predicaments, Thorn wondered? As Riku lunged at her, in a moment of panic, she opened a portal of darkness and disappeared through it, leaving the room, Riku, and Zexion behind.

"Geez, that was close," she muttered. "Man, I hate not being at the top of my game. This sucks!"

If only she had her medium. Without it she wouldn't last in battle. Either her spells would backlash or she would exhaust herself at a quick rate. She wondered if Zexion would be alright. From what it sounded like, the members were dropping like flies thanks to Sora and Riku. She glanced around the corridor of darkness, not knowing where she was or what direction to go.

"Shit," she muttered out loud. "There's no telling where this leads, and I don't see an exit anywhere." She rubbed her forehead as the stress of everything started to accumulate.

After a minute or two, she took a deep breath, picked a direction and started walking. She didn't know if it was the way she wanted or if it led to a random cliff somewhere, but if she didn't start moving she'd be engulfed by the darkness and lose her heart. She strolled along the path for what felt like a couple hours until she came across a figure standing in the distance.

It was short and had an oddly shaped head. But what caught her attention most was that it wore the cloak of the Organization...but it had a heart like her.

"Hey!" She called out, running towards the person. She could only guess what they were doing there, but from what she could see, they weren't hostile.

The small figure turned to her and seemed surprised she was there. "I didn't think I'd ever run into someone else here," he stated in a high pitched voice.

Thorn stopped a few feet away from the stranger. Up close she could at last tell what he was, the round ears and tail being a dead giveaway. "Um, hello," she said, resisting the urge to look into his heart for the answers to her next question. "Who are you? And what are you doing here ?"

Lucky for here, he seemed to trust her and was extremely forthcoming. "I'm Mickey Mouse, but friends call me Mickey. As for why I'm here, I've been searching for a way out so I can help my friend." He gestured to her with a gloved hand. "What about you?"

His eyes were so sincere and kind the goth had no qualms or second thoughts about trusting him. Still, best just give him the summarized version. "I'm Thorn. The reason I'm here is… well, I got mixed up in a bunch of crazy crap and… I kind of ended up here on accident."

"Hoho, well maybe we can help each other get out of this," Mickey suggested. "If you managed to find a way in we can find a way out."

Thorn smiled at him and nodded. She couldn't think of why, but something about the mouse made her think of Sora and his friends. Maybe it was just the way he was so easily trusting of her. "Sounds good to me, let's start looking," she replied getting a look of determination. "I'll definitely help you find your friend."

* * *

It was too perfect. Axel himself was astounded at how well all the pieces fell into place. As he'd predicted, Sora had taken down Marluxia. Zexion had attempted to eradicate Riku, only to come crawling back defeated and shame. When he appeared in the room Axel and the Riku Replica were there waiting for him watching as he leaned against the wall for support while cursing Riku. He noticed the replica and nearly had a heart attack… heh… but after a few moments he noticed Axel there as well and realized.

"Oh… of course, the replica," he exhaled in relief. "We can use this Riku to defeat the real one." When there was a long, perceptibly uncomfortable length of silence, Zexion looked to the flame wielder warily, as if guessing his motives but wishing them to be otherwise. "Axel?"

"Say, Riku, it must be tough knowing you're not real… but I bet you would LIKE to be, wouldn't you?"

The replica gave a slow nod of his head. "Yeah."

Axel smiled. "Well, you can. All you need is strength that the real Riku doesn't have. Then you can be a new person, your OWN person. Not Riku, or anybody else."

"Axel! What are you saying to him?" Zexion exclaimed in a panic.

The red head gestured to the silver haired Nobody as he continued to address the Riku replica. "You know, he's as good a place to start as any."

"Have you lost your mind!?" Zexion exclaimed. He got no farther than that as the replica advanced on him.

"So sorry, Zexion," Axel said with a dry chuckle as he watched the younger Nobody fade from existence. "You just knew way too much."

With Zexion gone, that took care of everything. Well, just about, anyway. He still had one little tidbit left to take care of.

"Ready or not, Thorn," he said with a smile as he began his hunt. "Here I come."

* * *

CM: Oh my gosh... so close to the end.. I can see the light. I'm kind of sad it's almost over. But all good things must come to an end. Next chapter will be the climax, so don't miss it.


	37. Becoming Whole

**Chapter 37: Becoming Whole**

Thorn and Mickey paused for a moment within the passage of darkness to rest. Thorn had to admit, she liked the decor much better than in the castle, but the draining affect of them being in there for so long was starting to seriously take its toll.

"Mickey...I'm not sure how much farther we can go without this place starting to directly pull at our hearts," Thorn muttered rubbing her head. "Even with these cloaks there's only so long someone with a heart can remain here."

"I know, but I made a promise and I won't go back on it," Mickey declared as he returned to his feet and continued down the way Thorn trailing behind him.

She had to admit, for a mouse he was a pretty determined and dependable guy. "I'm sure we'll find him," she said after a few minutes of silence. She glanced down towards him and decided she'd use it to help him. "So, what's your friend's name? I think I may have a way to find the way to him."

"It's Riku," Mickey answered immediately not even questioning why she didn't bring it up before. As far as he was concerned she was bringing it up now and that's all that mattered.

"Really...Riku? O-okay," she replied noting how incredibly coincidental it was. She looked through Mickey's eyes before attempting to see his heart, but before she allowed the forced ignorance to drop, a small item appeared that held a heart's connection without having a heart. "What is that?"

The mouse curiously glanced down at the floor. "Gosh, I dunno," he said bending down to pick it up. "It looks like a card."

_'The same ones the organization has been using,'_ Thorn thought in wonder. Then another thought occurred. _'Did I… actually make this?_' "Would you mind if I took a look at it?"

Mickey turned towards her and held it out to her. "Sure thing."

Thorn reached out and grabbed hold of the other end. The moment her fingers touched it, a bright glow emitted from the card and suddenly… Thorn wasn't sure how to describe what came next. It was as though her molecules had burst apart and were now traveling through the air. The only thing she was aware of was that Mickey was still there with her as they were pulled through the darkness towards an unknown destination.

The next thing she knew, she was standing in the white halls of Castle Oblivion with King Mickey standing in front of her and a little ways away Riku was on his knees.

"King Mickey...you're really here," Riku greeted getting to his feet and turning to face him.

"Yep, I promised I'd come for you didn't I," Mickey laughed as Riku reached forward and pushed on his cheeks. "Hoho, that tickles."

"Ho good, you're not an illusion," Riku breathed in relief as he fell back onto his hindend.

"Hey, are you okay?" Thorn asked coming up behind Mickey looking slightly worried at him. "You look like you've been through the ringer."

"What are you doing here?" he demanded trying to force himself to his feet as he glared at the goth girl.

"Here we go again," Thorn muttered shaking her head.

"Oh, so you already know, Thorn," Mickey said cheerfully. "I was trying to find my way out of the Realm of Darkness, and I met her. I'm not exactly sure how it happened but, I'm certain she help me find you, Riku."

"Is that… really true?" Riku asked in disbelief, his eyes softening but still not completely trusting. "Why would you do that?"

"Look, I already said it before," Thorn told him. Then she went on to explain, as briefly and vaguely as she could, why she was there and why she had approached Riku under their request. She ended it with, "I'm honestly glad it ended up this way though. Otherwise I wouldn't have ran into Mickey here. Now we just need to work on getting you to Sora."

"You know about Sora?" Riku asked and Mickey seemed surprised as well.

Thorn nodded. "Yeah, I met him. And he's looking for you too. I can't say I know exactly where he is now… but I'd like to help you find him if I can."

"But why would you want to help me," Riku asked her. "After what I…"

"Don't worry about it," Thorn said quickly, waving away his concern. "I just… I don't think friends should be apart. That's all."

The younger boy laughed a bit before getting to his feet and smiling. "Thanks, and I'm sorry about earlier."

"Hey, it's not like I can say I really blame you," Thorn replied with a shrug. "I don't really like these guys either."

"Not even me?"

The voice chilled Thorn to the bone and excited her at the same time as from behind her Axel appeared before wrapping an arm around her throat and holding her tight.

"A-Axel," she gasped gripping his arm as she fought against his strangle hold.

"Thorn!" Riku and Mickey both shouted in alarm.

If it was just her, Thorn would have taken her chances using her magic against Axel. However, she didn't want to risk the safety of Riku and Mickey.

"Ngh… Riku, find Sora!" Thorn shouted as she was once more being dragged back into the darkness. "He needs you!"

She watched as the silver haired boy ran towards her, reaching his hand out for her, before the door closed, shutting her into the darkness with Axel.

"Nice to see you've been making some new friends," Axel said, his grip on her tightening as she renewed her struggles.

"Why, because you destroyed yours?" she demanded continuing to fight as much as she could.

"Hmm...something like that," Axel answered bending down to whisper into her ear. "But I had my orders and I wasn't about to turn my back on the Organization."

"Oh, screw you!" she exclaimed gathering her magic to her as quickly as she could. The realm of darkness was as good a place as any to attempt to use her uncontrolled magic. "Better hold onto something...you're not coming out of this one unscathed."

"Heh, if you insist."

The red head readjusted his hold on her, grabbing her by the shoulders and spinning her around so she was facing him. Thorn's concentration was broken when she felt a firm pressure made itself known on her lips and she realized… holy crap. Was Axel actually kissing her?

Thorn's brain went on standby mode, her magic fizzling out as she tried to process what the hell was going on. Hadn't he just been about to exterminate her or something? What. The. HELL!?

The goth regained mobility of her body and she jerked away, punching the red head in the gut. He grunted and let go of her, allowing her to stumble back a healthy three yards away from him. She glared at him, panting a little from the momentary lack of oxygen. The impression of his mouth was still there, causing her lips to tingle.

"What the hell?" she repeated out loud.

"What's wrong, I thought you enjoyed the roughness," Axel replied with a grin. "Suddenly change your mind?"

"Why the heck did you kiss me?" she demanded keeping a wary eye on him. "You helped them drag me here to start with. You kept me from escaping while I was here and you've treated me with indifference since that day. Why wouldn't I be upset at you suddenly kissing me after all of that?"

He scratched at his cheek with his forefinger with an 'oh yeah, I'd nearly forgotten about all that' kind of look. "Right, about that," he started. "I wasn't kidding when I told you I couldn't turn my back on the Organization, but I also promised you didn't I?" He smiled, at her. "That no matter what sort of mess you got into, I'd get you out of it."

Thorn felt warmth bubble up inside of her but she kept herself in check, trying not to get too excited too quickly. "What about your orders? I'm pretty sure your boss made it clear he wanted me gone."

"Well yeah," Axel acknowledged with a shrug. "But who's gonna know? It's not like there's anyone in the Castle left who knows where you went."

"Well, maybe," Thorn muttered inspecting him for any sign that it wasn't the truth. "So then what are you going to do with me?"

"Easy, get you out of here and somewhere you won't be found," he answered taking a step towards her. Thorn looked at him in surprise as she attempted not to look too pleased. "You know, I wanted to burn Marly alive when he touched your face. After all, you're mine and I don't share."

Damn, it felt good to know Axel had felt just as irate about someone moving in on her as she had. Thorn was also so impressed by the whole charade she found it impossible to stay angry with him.

By this time he'd closed the gap and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Feeling better about it now?"

She shook her head at his question. "Not really." He stared at her and she sighed. "I haven't been able to find my medium anywhere. And also…" she swallowed. "I think… I lost your heart. For all I know, they have it now."

Axel gave a small laugh. "What? You mean these old things?" He reached into his pockets, the left hand pulling out her choker, while the other held the music box. "Hope you don't mind, but I figured what with everything going on, I should hang onto them for a while."

Thorn gasped and in relief she reached out her hands and took both objects. She checked the music box and was glad to see his heart was still safe inside. "Thank goodness." Then she put it in her pocket and put her rose choker back on.

"Well, I think we've stayed in here long enough," Axel told her, and he led the way out of the corridor into one of the upper rooms of Castle Oblivion. The same room they'd been holding Namine. "I won't be going back to the Organization right away," he told her. "There are still some things I need to do here. In the mean time, is there any place you have in mind I can drop you off?"

Thorn looked away from him. Well, she could think of one place but… she really didn't want to leave him so soon after just getting him back. Even though technically she hadn't lost him except in her own head.

After a long moment of thought, she nodded. "Yeah, there is one place. The home of my master," she answered calmly. "Though I'm pretty sure you've never been to that world before."

"Well, where is it?" he asked curiously.

"It's a Castle directly connected to Twilight Town," Thorn explained. "Though for the life of me I can't remember what it's called."

"Is it someplace that you can get to from Twilight Town?" he asked not certain where she meant.

She shook her head. "No...though my master does seem to know things before they happen, so I'm fairly certain if we stop at the train station he'll have a ride for us."

"Well, alright then. That's where we'll go. But first…"

Thorn glanced over at him as he reached into his pocket and pulled something else out. A card.

"Were you still interested in knowing more about me?" he asked her. "Granted, it'll delay you for a bit."

Instead of answering and completely giving away the fact she was all but thrilled to spend more time with him, she instead asked, "What is it?"

He looked at it for a few moments before flipping it over to show her. "It's the world where I'm from. In this castle, I can use this card to show it to you."

Thorn's eyes widened slightly but smiled and nodded calmly. "Yes, I would like to see it," she answered containing her excitement.

Axel grinned back as he led the way over to a lone door off the side. Here he held up the card which disappeared and then pushed the door open. "Well...let's go," he said gesturing for her to enter.

She did so with him right behind her and immediately was astounded by what she saw. The town was large while its buildings only reached second story height and off in the distance was a large and beautiful castle. "This place is amazing," she murmured seeing people roam from building to building greeting each other and doing business at the shops. There were children running through the streets and parents calling after them only mildly with irritation.

"It's exactly as I remember seeing it in my dreams."

"Way back, before we lost our hearts, I met Saix while I was living at the orphanage. Once we became friends, we were always together."

Thorn glanced over at Axel. He was gazing at the neighborhood with nostalgia in his eyes. So they had been orphans too. "How _did_ you two become friends?"

Axel smiled as if he was remembering something funny. "It wasn't easy. He was a real loner back then. I'd keep trying to get him to hang out, but he'd always tell me to get lost. Then I got into a huge mess of trouble and he helped bail me out. He asked what I was doing, and when I told him he actually smiled and I told me I was an idiot. Then we went and had ice cream together." He scratched at his head and sighed. "We've been friends ever since."

Thorn released a small laugh. "Wow, somehow I'm not all that surprised."

"You can see it huh?" Axel asked with a laugh.

"Yeah, especially considering I was pretty similar," Thorn admitted. "I only gained those three as friends because they wouldn't leave me alone."

"I see," Axel laughed again. "Well, let me show you around." He gently took her hand and led her through the streets to a small courtyard where two children were playing.

Thorn smiled to herself when she noticed one with red hair was shouting random things while the other with blue hair shook his head. "You really were a cute kid," she murmured softly.

"Are you saying you would have fallen for me back then too?" he asked teasingly.

Thorn shook her head slowly. "I don't know about that. Like I said… I wasn't exactly what you'd call sociable. Apart from my three friends, I didn't trust anyone." She added as an afterthought, "But… you definitely would have caught my eye."

"Right back atcha," he said with a smile.

They watched the two boys continue to play with one another until he turned and began heading towards a new direction. "Come on, I want to show you something I think you'll appreciate."

Thorn stole one last glance at the young Lea before following Axel. She noticed the direction they were heading lead them to the castle.

"That's right, you and Isa spent a lot of time sneaking into the castle," Thorn murmured as they drew closer. "Then you managed to get a job there. You really had everything you wanted huh."

"Not everything," Axel replied as he released her hand and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "I didn't have a girl."

Thorn blushed slightly at the answer and continued to move towards the castle. "So, what part of your break in tours did you enjoy the most?"

"Hmm...you'll just have to see it yourself," Axel answered squeezing her shoulders lightly.

On the way, Axel pointed out an ice cream shop that was run by a feathered fellow in a top hat known as Scrooge McDuck. Axel showed her some the area around the castle, such as the gardens and the fountain court, both of which were more beautiful than Thorn could put into words.

"There's Aeleus and Dilan," Axel pointed out as they bypassed the castle's front entrance. "Those guys were never happy to see us."

"Gee, I wonder why?" Thorn asked with blistering sarcasm. The two castle guards were standing silently at attention, still and unmoving like living statues. "You only made them chase you around and toss you out of the castle how many times a day?"

"Okay, we didn't break in THAT often," Axel corrected. "We kept it at once or twice a week. Over time, we started getting really good at not getting caught."

"I'll bet."

The inside of the castle was almost as nice as the outside. Not as labyrinth like as TCTNW or CO.

"Were you two living on your own?" Thorn asked.

Axel nodded. "Yeah, once we were on our own we did odd jobs to get by. Once we got our jobs here at the castle, we figured we were pretty set." He spotted a couple figures walking down the hallway towards them. "Here's two more people you should recognize."

Thorn glanced in their direction and inwardly cringed at one of them. It was Even and Ienzo. A part of her wanted to wave at the darker haired boy but she realized he was just a memory of Axel's and decided it was pointless. Then as they continued down the hall losing sight of the two scientists a thought struck her.

"Axel...you said before that there wasn't anyone left in the castle to know what happened to me. Zexion was here though," she murmured. "Does this mean he's gone too?'

There was a long stretch of silence as Axel stared down at her. At length, he said, "Yeah, I killed him." Thorn's eyes expanded and he looked away from her. "I'm capable of some pretty terrible things, Thorn. I pretended to lose interest in you, just so I could be sent here to kill whoever else came. I used Namine, Sora, even a clueless replica, to make sure the job got done. The entire time, I didn't feel the slightest bit guilty of it. I still don't." He looked back down at her, and she remained silent as she continued to watch him, hanging on his every word. "That's the kind of half-person I am."

The girl's eyes closed as she slowly inhaled through her nose and then exhaled through slightly parted lips. Then she reached up and lightly smacked him on the cheek. He stared at her in shock.

"That's for trying to make me change my opinion of you." She turned away as she felt heat building in her face for what she was about to say. "I'll admit, seeing that side of you was shocking. But even so, I still…" Even when she'd believed he'd all but abandoned her, she had never once hated him. She looked back up at him, seeing she held his fullest attention. She didn't let on how much losing Zexion hurt her. He'd been close to her; maybe not best friends close but still important. She didn't want Axel to hate himself for it though. "I am sad that Zexion is gone. He was... kind to me. But I know you probably had your reasons. And the fact you were willing to do all that… just to help me… makes me happy."

Axel was surprised by her response to his past actions, but he quickly got over it and pulled her in for a kiss. "I knew there was a reason I kept you around. You're scared of me but not enough to drive you away. I think I'd have to all out attack you to get you to hate me enough."

"Maybe," Thorn answered grabbing onto his arm. "Just out of curiosity... was it... necessary?"

"Zexion followed the rules to a T. He would have reported everything that happened here, including your survival. Destroying him was the only way to keep you safe." In Axel's eyes, there was no doubt in his words.

Thorn bit her lip and nodded. It still hurt, but she chose to trust his judgment, blaming not him, but the circumstances. "So, shall we continue our tour?" She wanted to get off the subject as quickly as possible.

He nodded, pulling her along with him. "There's just one more place I want to show you."

They ascended up a few stairs and down a few halls before they reached the place Axel wanted her to see.

"Check it out," he said as he guided her to an open balcony area that overlooked the entire town. "Best view in all of Radiant Garden."

Thorn went over to the edge, getting an eyeful of the landscape, buildings, and people all laid out in front of her. "This is the place you guys sat to watch the sunset."

"Yeah." She felt Axel's arms wrap around her from behind as he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Worth the risk of sneaking in, don't you think?"

Thorn smiled and gave a small nod. "It really is."

They stayed like that for a long time looking out over the city and holding onto each other. Although Thorn couldn't think of anything else she'd rather be doing, she knew it couldn't last.

After a time, she closed her eyes and forced herself to turn away from the sight. "Axel...we should probably go," she murmured looking into his eyes. "Thanks for showing me your home. Maybe someday I'll be able to show you mine."

"Sounds good to me," Axel replied kissing her again. "But you're right, we really do need to get you out of here. Let's just hope that bandaged guy doesn't spot you in that station before we make it to your master's place."

"Yeah...alright then, let's go," she murmured giving him a hug and leaning her head against his chest.

Axel held her close to him as he opened the portal of darkness which would take them to Twilight Town. If he had to be honest, he would say he didn't want to let her go. At the very least he wanted to keep her with him until he went back to HQ. However, right now to him her safety was the number one priority, and he wasn't going to risk that.

They left Castle Oblivion and emerged at the train plaza in Twilight Town. They didn't even bother to stop and enjoy the scenery as they entered the train station.

"You sure this train is coming?" Axel asked her.

"Yeah," Thorn said with the fullest confidence. "If I know Master Yensid, it'll be there." When she got up to the ticket booth she suddenly stopped. "Um, hey, Axel. I don't suppose you could spot me some money?" she asked sheepishly.

The red head shook his head in disbelief but dug around in his pockets. "Let me see what I got."

"I'll pay you back as soon as I can," she promised.

"Don't worry about it," he told her. "I'll just think of this as our first date."

"And the other moments with just us weren't dates?" Thorn asked in amusement.

"I don't count those," Axel said handing her the money needed to pay for the tickets. "So, what's this train supposed to look like anyway?"

"Well, when I left and came here for the first time I arrived in a single car violet train with stars," Thorn explained as she purchased the tickets, trying to remember what it looked like. "I'm pretty sure it'll look like that."

"So… something like that?" Axel asked as he pointed to the train platform.

Thorn turned and there it was, just as she remembered it. "Come on," she said in excitement, grabbing the red head by the arm and dragging him to what her friends would call the dope-ass train.

At their approach, the doors slid silently open. Axel suddenly stopped. "Well, since your ride is here, I should probably just let you go on your way."

"I thought we were supposed to be on a date," Thorn remarked, having no intentions of getting on the train without him. "You don't just up and leave in the middle. Besides, I want you to meet him."

Axel scratched at his head looking uncomfortable. "Something tells me the feeling won't be mutual."

Thorn rolled her eyes before getting behind him and pushing him towards the door. "In. You. Go."

He fought back for a minute or two holding onto the edges of the train as she continued to try to push him inside. He chuckled at her efforts knowing he was strong enough to keep himself from being pushed on as long as he wanted to but eventually he shrugged and allowed her to shove him inside. "Alright, if you're that insistent I'll go along," he told her taking a seat. "What's the matter? You look kind of winded."

Thorn was leaning against the inner wall glaring at him as she panted. It had taken more out of her than she'd thought. "I'm just catching my breath," she muttered, though he could tell she was smiling under that scowl. "I am glad you said you'd come with me though. I didn't want to say goodbye just yet." As she spoke, she sat next to him while the door slid shut and the train started to move.

"Gonna miss me that much?" Axel teased wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Hmm...well then I should stop in every now and again just to see your ecstatic face."

Thorn leaned up against him as the train began to move. "Thanks…but it's probably better if you didn't."

As much as she liked that idea, she didn't want him getting into trouble because of her. They both stared out the opposite window, watching as Twilight Town disappeared and they were traveling through space. The auroras shimmering all around made it look all the more awe inspiring.

"I take it this is supposed to happen?" asked Axel softly.

"Mmhm," Thorn hummed closing her eyes. "We're entering his realm. It shouldn't be much longer."

Axel responded by giving her arm a small squeeze. "Well, that's a shame."

The girl sighed, knowing exactly what he meant.

They stayed like that until the train came to a stop and Thorn reluctantly got to her feet. "Well, come on," she murmured taking his hand and pulling him lightly to his feet as well. "He's waiting for us."

"Won't my presence be a surprise?" Axel asked sure he wouldn't be welcomed.

"He already knows you're coming," she assured him. "Nothing that happens at any given time surprises him because he always sees it happen before then."

Axel was curious about what she meant as she slowly led him off the train and onto a floating island. He took a moment to look around and saw that the only building present was a large castle that stretched up high in the sky. Thorn led him silently to the large staircase at the front and just as they reached it, the doors opened of their own accord a tall man walked out wearing a blue cloak with white stars and a matching hat.

"It's been a long time, Master Yensid," she greeted with a smile.

"It is good to see you well, Thorn," Yensid greeted in his deep rumble of a voice. "I must say, your disappearance has been a cause of great disquiet around here."

Thorn flushed in humility and bowed her head. "Forgive me, Master Yensid. I know I acted recklessly and for that I am sorry."

As Axel stood quietly by, he was a little surprised to see Thorn act so humble towards anyone. He could only guess this guy must be quite the contender.

"Yes, the actions you took were indeed as you say reckless," he reiterated, causing Thorn to visibly wince. "That having been said, from what I can see you were merely following what your heart believed in." He smiled a little. "And it seems you emerged all the better from it."

Thorn nodded in answer, looking all but relieved that Yensid wasn't angry with her, and happy that he may have just given her a compliment.

"Now, about this… friend you've brought with you," the wizard said turning to Axel.

"Yeah, uh this is Axel," Thorn started saying slowly. "I know he's kind of a part of that group but you should take into account that he did look out for me while I was there and is the reason I made it back at all." She smiled sheepishly and hoped that she was right in him not doing anything to him.

There was a rather long silence in which the wizard stared at the red headed Nobody making him shift slightly. Something about the stare made it seem like he was stripping him to the core...even more effectively than Thorn when she reads hearts.

"I see," he finally murmured his expression remaining unchanged. "I thank you for assisting in her return, however, you will not be returning to this place. I will not have any others of your kind finding their way here."

"Yeah, I gotcha'," Axel replied bringing his hand up expressively. "No worries, I'm not about to show them this place. I'm not even sure I'd even be able to find my way back here anyway."

The wizard inclined his head and seemed satisfied by the red head's answer.

"Um, excuse me, Master Yensid," Thorn spoke up. "I know this is a lot to ask but, would it be alright if I stayed here for… I'm not even sure how long. I just…" She didn't want to face that man again. She just couldn't bring herself to do it.

"I understand, you and DiZ never did get along. However, you should be enlightened by the fact he did show immense concern towards your disappearance." The wizard paused before continuing. "As for whether or not you may stay, you are always welcome here. However, I would think you should like to return to your own world."

Thorn gasped. "You mean… it's really… it's there?" Then another thought slammed into the forefront of her brain. "Zidane, Zell, Irvine, are they there too?"

"Indeed," Yensid answered. "The keyblade master, Sora, was able to restore many of the worlds lost to the darkness. Everything is as it once was. Though, if you choose to do so, you'll find upon your returning your friends having been missing you."

Thorn stared at him open mouth with the slightest sign of tears welling up in her eyes. "The-they're alright?" she asked breathlessly.

"Yes, they seem to be," Yensid answered with a smile.

"Thank you...for telling me that," Thorn murmured and gave the slightest bow in respect. "I'm so glad."

"I guess that means you'll get the chance to show me after all," Axel chuckled smiling at her overjoyed expression.

"Yeah, definitely, though not until after things are settled," Thorn agreed wiping her eyes on her sleeve.

"Well, I think it's about time I got out of your hair," Axel said to Yensid. "I won't do anything that would put her in danger."

"I will choose to believe that much," the wizard said in reply. "Outside you will find transportation waiting to take you back to Twilight Town."

Axel gave a quick nod. "Thanks."

As he turned to head down the stairs, Thorn stepped beside him. "If you'll excuse me, Master Yensid. I'd like to see him off."

Yensid tilted his head forward in a consenting gesture. She smiled in thanks and walked in step with Axel down the steps.

"Nice guy," said Axel in a dry voice.

She gave a soft laugh. "Yeah, he is. He's scary when he's angry though."

"I can only imagine."

Funny how Thorn used to think these stairs took forever. Yet now, they seem to be taking half the time to get through. When they got outside, the train was waiting for Axel, just as Yensid had said.

"Guy just can't get rid of me fast enough." Axel said this in good humor.

"Um," Thorn said, getting his attention. "I know I don't have to tell you this but, everything you heard in there…"

"I won't repeat it to anyone," Axel replied automatically before she could finish.

"Thank you." Thorn stared up at him and it was amazing how heavily it hit her at that moment. This was possibly the last time she would see him for a very long time. The feeling was so heavy it was painful and suffocating. "Take good care of Roxas," she told him. "God knows no one else will."

He smiled and nodded in answer. "Don't worry about the kid. I'll look out for him."

"Right… and I'll keep looking for Saix's heart." At his surprised expression she said, "Don't misunderstand, I'm still pissed at the guy, but I already made the promise. So you just… do what you need to do." Something was going wrong with her vision. It was all blurry and… oh no… crap…

Axel smiled and one of his hands reached up, fingers brushing her cheek which was now wet. "Look at you… I'm not even gone yet and already you're turning on the water works."

"Shut up," she muttered wiping her face on her sleeve. "I can't help it. I know the sort of place you're returning to. I don't want you to just disappear like the others did."

"I promise I won't let myself disappear," he replied rubbing her hair gently. "But, you've got to stay off their radar as well. Which means no interfering."

"I'll try not to," she replied with a light chuckle. She knew that chances were she'd be called in to help fight once more and that at some point in time she may have to interfere with the Organization. But until that point she'd do her best to stay out of their business.

At her words he turned to get back onto the train but was stopped as Thorn quickly reached out to him once more. "Axel, I'm going to miss you," she muttered trying to keep the tears from coming back. "Don't go hooking up with any bimbo's while you're gone. Because...I love you...got it memorized?"

In that moment, Axel felt something flicker inside of his chest. Suddenly he was like a rubix cube, all the colors neatly lined up. Complete. It was like he was a whole person again.

His green eyes softened as reached out and gently pulled her head to his chest. She went without resistance, grabbing onto the front of his coat as he held her against him. Axel held her like that for about a minute or so, then he reached up a hand, brushing away what hung in her face. Her head tilted upwards, those grey eyes silently repeating to him the sentiment she'd spoken a few moments ago.

"I won't forget," he told her softly, stroking her cheek with his thumb. "So you better not forget either."

She smiled and gave a weak laugh. "I don't think I could if I tried."

"Well, just to be sure…"

Axel placed his hands at the back of her neck, holding her in firm place as his lips descended on hers. The kiss itself wasn't too intense, but everything behind it was. Normally, Thorn would try and provoke him by keeping her lips purposely sealed. This time however, his tongue gained immediate free access into her mouth, allowing him to explore as he pleased without any hurry. Axel took that time to commit to memory everything, the way she felt pressed up against him, her sweet smell, the small noises she made, the taste of her.

Thorn tried to do the same but it all ended much too soon for her taste. When he pulled away, he placed one last kiss on her forehead and stepped onto the train, the doors closing behind him. Thorn stepped away from the platform ignoring the voice in her head screaming at her not to let him go without her. She just had to keep reminding herself that this wasn't the end. She would wait for him until he was ready to come back to her.

* * *

CM: A big thanks to those of you who reviewed. Thank you for helping us reach our goal. That's more less the end, but we'll have the after-resolution as well as a prelude to a possible sequel (given that the world doesn't end). Thanks so much for reading and for all your support! :D


	38. Ending and Prelude

**Chapter 38: Ending and Prelude**

After returning to the tower, Thorn sat down and had a long discussion with Yensid about her adventures. How she met Sora and his friends, how she found the hearts of her own friends, and the events which led her back to his study. He was very patient in listening and interrupted her very few times, if only to request more detail. After she was finished, he explained how the Keyblade master had sealed the door to Kingdom Hearts, restoring many of the worlds lost. The reason the hearts of her friends had gone missing was because they were called back to their own world.

"Unfortunately, the battle has only just begun," he stated gravely. "The heartless continue to lurk in the worlds, and I have no doubts Organization XIII is planning something as well. Especially if they've acquired the Nobody of Sora."

Thorn said nothing. Even though Yensid had met Axel, and the fact the Nobody had saved her from a terrible fate, it didn't change the fact he was a part of some greater evil. But she believed in Axel, and he said he would take care of Roxas. That was good enough for her. Speaking of which…

"Master Yensid… what happens when someone and their Nobody exist at the same time? I mean, how is it possible?"

He shook his head. "That I do not know, nor can I predict the ramifications of such an outcome. For now, Sora is in a deep sleep so that his memories may be properly pieced back together. Until he awakens, we can only wait."

"Then with all due respect," said Thorn, "I'd like to return to my own world, for the time being at least."

Yensid looked her over carefully before nodding in understanding. "You may go, however your powers will be needed in the fight against the heartless. It will be of help until the Keyblade master is awakened to have you continued traveling between worlds."

Thorn nodded and slowly got to her feet. "I understand sir, I will continue to help...but I must see to my friend's safety first," she answered.

"Understood," Yensid replied as he waved his hand. Moments later the three fairies appeared and Flora approached her.

"My dear, we've already made this ready for you," she said gently holding out a very tiny flat disc.

"We were so excited when Yensid asked us to make it," Fauna added eagerly. "It'd let us see you more."

"You can come back whenever you want to with this," Maryweather clarified. "It'll summon the train right to you."

Thorn took the round disc, staring at it in amazement. "Really? That's incredible. Thank you."

She bid farewell to Yensid before leaving the tower. The three good fairies escorted her outside telling her to take care and to not be a stranger. Thorn was somewhat relieved when she boarded the train which would take her back to her world. Though, it was a rather lonely ride, she had to admit. Then she remembered she wasn't entirely alone. Thorn reached into her pocket and pulled out the music box and opened it.

"At least I still have you with me, Lea," she murmured, seeing the grinning face of the other half of the red head she knew and loved. After a few minutes she closed it and settled back in the seat, staring out the window at the beautiful otherworldly scenery that was the passage between worlds.

* * *

It was a long trip, much longer than the one to and from TwilightTown. She got so bored along the way that for a time she fell asleep. When she woke up a good hour later she discovered the train was pulling to a stop. Immediately she felt her breath hitch in her throat as she forced herself not to look out the window and head for the door. She took another few breaths before stepping out the door with her eyes glued shut.

The first thing she realized when she stepped outside was the sound of concrete under her shoes. Next was the roar of hundreds of thousands of people going in and out of the loud train station. Then she caught the scent of smoke and other pollutants that were always present in the huge city. She felt tears start flowing silently down her cheeks as she slowly opened her eyes. This was her world. The many people not even paying attention to her standing in the center without moving while they bustled back and forth from the trains to the city outside the large glass doors that were the entrance to the station. She stepped forward wiping the water off her face and immediately set her face in her usual state.

Once she was out of the station, Thorn broke into a run, sprinting around anyone who walked into her path. From the sun's position it looked to be about late afternoon. So if it was a weekday school should already be out. She ran until her lungs were burning and there was a stitch in her chest. She didn't stop until she reached an old shack located in the seedier part of town. The Crib.

On the outside it was a daunting and decrepit looking thing. Abandoned, just like all of them had been. The four of them had found this place and made it their home. Thorn undid the lock on the front door and went inside. It was, or had been, much cleaner inside. They had done a lot of refurbishing over the years. However, in her absence the boys hadn't done a very good job of cleaning up after themselves. Which was odd considering how anal Zell was about cleanliness.

Strange… she had expected them to be home by now.

She walked through the kitchen and up the creaking stairs to the bedrooms. The entire place was empty, there wasn't even the slightest clue that they'd been home that day.

She took a moment to step into her room and deposit her things onto the untouched bed before going to the window. If they weren't at home and school was out, then where would they be?

A few ideas struck her and she headed to the door before deciding to take her cloak off first. Chances were having the cloak with her wouldn't be necessary. Then she set out into the city heading for the two most likely places.

Her first stop was a seedy looking bar with the sign out front that looked like it'd fall off if the wind blew too hard. Inside she once again found no sign of them. She went to talk to the owner who'd allowed them to perform there and he told her the three had asked the same thing about her...which meant they were looking for her.

Thorn thanked the bar owner and left to search the other place she felt they might be. The trip took her about an hour on foot, and while she could easily teleport, she felt more fulfilled just walking it. She reached the old junkyard, the largest one in the city. It was a place they had frequented many times throughout the years. Most everything people threw away ended up here and a lot of it was still salvageable.

The goth girl began wandering through the maze of piled up garbage, from cars to toys, from metal to paper. The only thing never dumped here was food. That was one good thing about SkylineCity. It was very categorical when dumping its trash. Even though it'd only been a number of months, Thorn had missed this grimy place.

She moved around the maze created by the piles of trash knowing exactly where to go. There were several twists and turns that wouldn't normally exist, but after learning her levitation spell Thorn had practiced it by turning the place into an intricate maze.

After about 20 minutes of walking down each required path, she finally reached the center. To her surprise and immense relief, she spotted the table they did most of their planning on surrounded by the three boys she'd been looking for.

"So how are we gonna split it up today?" the kid with a tail demanded pointing at a map of the city. "There's no way I'm getting the junkyards again, that was a huge mess yesterday."

"Well, I wouldn't mind taking the red light again," the boy with a cowboy hat commented with a sly smile. "The ladies always have something interesting to say."

"You know Thorn wouldn't be caught dead down there!" the last one exploded, his black tattoo moving slightly as he glared at the cowboy. "Naw I'm pretty sure we'll have to hit up the skyscrapers. She loves the view up there...even though there really isn't much to see."

"Or you could save yourselves the trouble and look behind you," Thorn spoke up.

Three heads swiveled in her direction and the boys almost knocked the table over they couldn't get to her fast enough. Thorn braced herself for impact as she was mobbed by the three of them. There was a lot of 'thank goodness you're alright' and 'where the hell have you been' and 'we've been looking everywhere for you'. Thorn had to force herself to choke back the utter happiness she felt towards the smothering affection she'd never dreamed she would miss so much.

"Okay, guys," she said after a while. "Let me go before I suffo… hey! Whose hand was that?"

"Heh, sorry couldn't resist," Zidane said sheepishly. This earned him a knock on the head from the tall blonde.

"You can't even wait until after we've found out what happened?" Zell demanded angrily.

"If she'd let me, I'd sweep her off her feet and show her just how much I missed that rosy smell," Irvine said happily.

"You're all gonna shut up and give me some room to breathe," Thorn ordered. They did so but not one could drop the smiles they had on. "Now...what do you guys remember happening?" She wanted to tell them everything that happened to her and how much she'd missed them, but she wanted to know how they were first.

"Um… well there was that crazy apocalyptic nightmare with all those weird shadow things," Zidane said, scratching his blonde hair. "Which is exactly what it seemed like."

"Right, because right afterwards we woke up and things were back to normal," Zell inputted.

"With the exception that you were nowhere to be found," Irvine tagged on. "We were really starting to freak out when we couldn't find you."

So things just picked up right where they had left off it seemed. So they had no idea… even still, during the short time she'd been gone, they had missed her enough to search every nook and cranny in the city for her. They had no idea she'd been searching for them for months, and now here they were. Zidane, with his cute tail and mischievous grin. Zell with his tattooed face and tough guy attitude. And Irvine with his ridiculous cowboy get up and his ever charming smile. She finally had her family back.

"Sorry for worrying you guys," Thorn said apologetically. Her vision blurred for a second and she blinked.

The three boys recoiled in alarm, each with their own vocal reactions.

First Zidane. "Th-thorn… are you?"

Then Zell. "N-No way…"

And finally Irvine. "I'll be…"

"Are you crying?" they all asked together in astonishment.

"Maybe, and there's nothing wrong with that," she retorted wiping the tears off her face. "For me, you guys were gone for months and I...I missed you like crazy."

They were shocked by her reply but grinned all the same at having her say she missed them.

"Now, maybe you should all sit down," Thorn murmured pointing to the toppled table and the chairs lying on the ground next to it. "I'll explain everything."

It had taken a good number of hours to explain to her friends what all had happened during the world's disappearance. At first they weren't buying it, but after a while they knew there was no way she could be making all of it up. She explained how Madam Lulu had sent her away with DiZ. How she stayed and trained with Yensid. Her time in The World That Never Was with Organization 13. She made sure to leave out specific details, such as her involvement with Axel. She just didn't feel like covering that with them at the moment.

When she had at last finished explaining and had answered all of their additional questions, it had grown very late.

"Man, hard to believe we've been gone for months," Zell murmured.

"It definitely explains why you were suddenly gone though," Zidane said to Thorn.

"You went through all that, just to get us back?" Irvine asked her with a soft smile.

"I'd do more if it was needed," Thorn admitted though her words were barely audible. She hated admitting to how much she needed them.

The damage was done though as the three boys all started to grin in their own ways and they gave her a hug once more.

"Hey, we'd fight all those NOBODIES to keep your heart in tact," Zidane murmured.

"With us around they won't get 100 ft from you," Zell added.

"You are our treasure that we refuse to lose to anyone," Irvine added kissing the top of her head as he spoke.

Thorn allowed a smile to come to her face but she shook her head, refusing to get lost in the moment. "Okay, enough with the mushy stuff before I melt." She let out a yawn, glancing over at the disappearing sunlight. "I could really use some sleep right about now."

"I'll bet," said Zell.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," Irvine said putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Fine, but no accidental groping," Thorn warned, shooting a look over at Zidane.

"I'll do my best to resist," he said, scratching at his hair.

The four of them traveled back to the crib together, talking and joking along the way. Once there, they didn't even bother getting changed into their nightwear. Instead the four all piled onto the king sized bed in the back bedroom they all shared.

Thorn was in between Irvine and Zell and couldn't wipe the smile from her face as she felt the warmth of her friends around her. For the first time in forever she felt truly safe and at home. Then all at once she thought of one arrogant red head and her smile faltered. There was no telling how long it would be, if ever again, until she could feel his warmth again. Suddenly her comfy safe home seemed like it was missing something very important.

* * *

**THE END**

* * *

CM: AND THAT"S A WRAP! Sorry it took so long to get that last bit in but you know how it is.

Shipponaut: Hope you all enjoyed it. But guess what? It ain't over yet.

CM: That's right! If you all enjoyed Dark Flame, you're gonna love the upcoming sequel, Cold Moon.

* * *

**Prelude:**

**"You grew your hair out." He commented on her slightly longer hair pulled back into a side ponytail. **

**"I just keep forgetting to cut it," she replied. Her hand went for a chocolate pudding cup. She tried to make her next question not so cutting. "Why did you come here?" **

**"I needed to see you."**

"I can't believe it." Thorn could almost see his eyes widen behind the blindfold. "You're alive."

**Roxas looked up at her with the same innocent eyes he'd had the first day she'd met him. "Has Axel ever flipped your switch?"**

"You're him aren't you?" The hooded girl demanded fiercely. "The imposter!"

**"It is time for you to take _your_ journey." Yensid's tone was austere, his eyebrows furrowed, making his gaze intense. "With your help we can bring back someone long lost." **

"Sorry guys…" She couldn't bear to look back at them. "It's just too dangerous to take you with me."

**"What did you do to him?" Saix demanded of her. "Just what magic did you use, witch?" **


End file.
